Effective Business Communication For Intercultural Communication

Diagnostic Tools to Identify Communication Issues

Discuss about the Effective Business Communication for Intercultural Communication.

This essay is basically the self refection of my own communication skill. In this context, it can be said that over a period of time communication competency has become an important part of higher education as there is a change in the mentality of policymaker of education (Jones & Slack, 2016). The primary goal of learning at the undergraduate level is to communicate effectively along with skills like problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and writing. Here, with an aim to analyse my own communication skill I have taken help from 5 different diagnostic tools. With the help of these tools I have gathered information about two basic communication issues which I need to improve. These are public speaking anxiety due to low proficiency in English language and not an active listener. This particular essay will tend to give information about different techniques which I can use with an aim to improve my assessed communication related issues.

In order to examine effectiveness of my own communication skill, 5 different diagnostic tools have been used by me. The first tool is of willingness to listen diagnostic tool. This tool assesses the listening capability of an individual. Second tool is of Self Perceived Communication Competence. This tool basically measures the communication competency of people in number of situations (Takino, 2016). Furthermore, Personal Report of Intercultural Communication Apprehension is another diagnostic tool. This method measures the communication apprehension among speaker. With the use of given tool I can analyze my competency in public speaking. In addition to this, fourth diagnostic tool is of Non-Verbal Immediacy Scale Self Report. This tool is used to examine the behavior of one person towards other people. Last diagnostic tool which I have used is of Talkaholic. By using this tool I can get information that whether I am more talkative or less talkative in nature.

I have applied all these given tools and number of things has been identified by me about my own communication skills. Here, with regard to Non-Verbal Immediacy Scale Self Report I have examined that my non verbal communication skill is very much effective (Haylett, 2016). This is because, while speaking with some other person I always use my hands and arm gestures. It is through this way only I can effectively communicate the things which I want to say to others. Furthermore, I have also found out that I never use dull and monotone voice while talking with the other people. Besides this, from the Personal Report of Intercultural Communication Apprehension tool it is examined that I have moderate Intercultural Communication Apprehension. Here, my score is 42 which can be considered as neutral in terms of Intercultural Communication Apprehension. Herein, I do not like to get involved in the group discussion with the people who belong to some other culture. Moreover, I do not feel comfortable while speaking with the individual who belongs to some other culture. I always feel anxious while speaking in front of large public. This may be because I do not know English language very fluently. In today’s environment English has become one of a most important language of communication in business as well as in general life. Hence, people who does not know English feels less confident and as a result of it they always have a fear of presenting themselves in front of public who belongs to different culture (Meyer & Hunt, 2017).

Non-Verbal Immediacy Scale Self Report

Besides this, with an aim to analyse the effectiveness of my own communication I have taken help from Self Perceived Communication Competence Scale tool. With regard to respective tool, I have found out that I do not feel comfortable in taking with large group of strangers. However, I feel very comfortable when I need to talk with the people who are my friends and apprentice. Furthermore, as per the Willingness to Diagnostic Tool my score is 56. As per the scale this is not so good result. This is because this score indicates that I am not at all a good listener. Here, I always listen to that person to whom I found out very much interesting. Thus, I do not listen person who give boring speeches. In this context, it can be said that a listener will be considered as effective if he/she listen each and every person speech actively.

Hence, on the basis of analysis I have examined two basic communication issues which I need to improve with immediate effect. This is because if significant actions towards them are not taken then in this situation it will become very difficult to me with regard to get good job in today’s competitive environment (Arens & Jansen, 2016). The assessed communication issues are of not an active listener and public speaking anxiety due to low proficiency in English language.

Furthermore, my recent professional interaction gives clear evidence that I should make improvement in the assessed communication issue. This is because if necessary action towards these issues will not being taken then it will tend to have effect on my personal and professional development in an effective way. Herein, I would like to give an example of what happened 9 months ago while I was working on the position of Business Development Executive in one of the manufacturing firm. Being in the development position I always had to travel from one place to another. Hence, due to my job I met with the people who belong to different culture. One day because of some business meeting I went to America where people first language is English. Being the only representative of my company I had to deliver the presentation of my firm’s product in front of different buyers. It was my first time when I was given chance to present myself in front of large audience. Here, as I do not understand English properly I felt very scared and less confident. As a result of it my company had lost very big business deal in America. Thus, at that time only I felt that I should improve my English with an aim to reduce my anxiety during public speaking.

Personal Report of Intercultural Communication Apprehension

One more major incident had happened that made me realized that I should make improvement in my listening ability. During my college days I was doing a part time job in one of the fast food company. Here, my major work was to take orders from customers and communicate about the same to the chef. One day what happened that many customers came to the restaurant and as a result of it lots of noise was there in restaurant. Due to noise, I had taken some wrong order from the customers and because of that I had to listen a lot from my manager. Thus, from that point only I had taken oath that I will make improvement in my listening ability. This is because it is with the help of respective skill only I can be able to perform my work effectively and efficiently.

With respect to competence, we all have strengths and weaknesses. Generally, we take efforts to work on our weaknesses which require considerable hard work. There are various steps of competence which should be assessed during daily life communication which is conscious and unconscious incompetence & conscious and unconscious competence. As per Brenner (2017) even after learning and practicing effective communication skills, there can be unconscious incompetence which means a state where an individual is not aware of the fact that he is communicating in an incompetent way. After practicing and thorough knowledge of communication competence, it is easy to exhibit conscious competence. It is the state where the individual knows what to do and what should not be done. According to the view point of Raglio and et.al (2016) with improvement and development in communication competence, an individual can reach to the state of conscious competence which means when an individual is aware that he is communicating correctly. At this stage, these experiences help an individual to communicate effectively in future interactions. An individual once reaches the stage of conscious competence does not stay there forever. It may happen that he reaches the stage of conscious competence while communicating with one person or in one situation that does not mean he will always exhibit the same stage. We enter into new communication regularly. Thus, a person stays in one stage of competence for a period till he reaches to the next stage.

According to the view point of Carnegie (2017) whether you are speaking in public for the first time or second time or on regular basis, there are chances that you may face anxiety toward public speaking. There are various research conducted by scholars over a period of decades and found that anxiety is common among college students. This anxiety is called as communication apprehension and it appears even just thinking about communicating to some stranger or for public speaking. This behaviour is exhibited by around 15-20% of college students. The skill to handle anxiety may help a lot of students. Anxiety related to public speaking in individual shows his cognitive, physiological and psychological behaviour towards people according to Duck & McMahan (2017). There is various research which is conducted over anxiety towards public speaking which mainly focuses on three things which are – cognitive restructuring, systematic desensitization and skill training. Communication department is the only department which considers communication as an important factor. Communication can have the negative impact or it may motivate people. (German, K. M. and et.al., 2016) studied that even if an individual is intelligent, motivated or prepared, anxiety may deviate him from his learning while public speaking. Anxiety is a common problem which is faced by many people even experts.

Self Perceived Communication Competence Scale Tool

Besides this, as per the view point of Komiya and et.al (2017) people feel anxious during public speaking when they are not fluent in speaking in English. In this context, it has been examined by the scholars that English has become one of a most important business language. Herein, nowadays there are many people who know and understand English very well. However, people feel less confident when they are not aware about the language of business. The people of such kind do not perform well and furthermore they also face many problems during their promotions. In addition to this, the study of Homer, Deeprose & Andrade (2016) defines that the foundation period for children development is early years which he spends in primary school. In these years, children develop language and cultural identity. It describes that developing English communication for those children for whom English is the second language is difficult. Communication is the greatest asset with a human being. Developing language is a tool for communication. Language plays an important role in fitting in society. English communication for children is also important for their social development. Moreover, he describes that learning communication and language for toddler starts from family and home. The parents who are qualified and proficient in English will develop English communication in their children since early childhood and can monitor child’s development in school. Parents from diverse linguistic and cultural background face challenge in monitoring their child’s progress in English and providing an environment at home.

Furthermore, as per the view point of Takino (2016) active listening is basically communication technique in which listener actively listen the words which is being said by some other person. However, according to Meyer & Hunt (2017) active listening is the act of mindful hearing whereby one person perform the work in the manner as per communicated by some other person. Brenner (2017) has stated that people who listen very well are more productive than other who won’t listen well. The thing as being specified by respective author is correct. This is because it has been seen that an individual who listen properly always gives its best to the organization. This is because, such type of people knew very well about the things which are being communicated by their manager. Thus, they tend to carry out their work accordingly. Hence, as a result of this positive effect of the same will be seen on firm’s sales and profits.

Willingness to Listen Diagnostic Tool

In addition to this, HEAR model of active listening entails that people can become active listener if they always put themselves in the shoes of others. It is through this way only an individual can assess the condition of others. Thus, as a result of it they will try to make measure in terms of listening the words which is being speak by some other individual. Overall, it can be said that by making use of all these given techniques person can make significant improvement in the skill in which they are hindering (Jones & Slack, 2016). Thus, through this way person can give their best services to the corporation in which they are going to work in future in an effective way.

For the purpose to make improvement in my assessed communication issues, number of measures will be taken. In accordance with the given context, I have prepared action plan over the period of six months. Here, in the first six month period I will make improvement in my public speaking anxiety due to lack of fluency in English. In this regard, in the first month I will enroll myself in English Speaking classes. Herein, I will put my 100 % in terms of learning different grammatical concepts in an effectual way. In the 2 month with an aim to make further improvement in my English Speaking skill I will read number of novels and self help books. These all given things will help in improving my English speaking skills and thus reduces my anxiety of speaking in public. Furthermore, with an aim to gain the confidence of speaking in public I will make measures of interacting with the people who belongs to varied culture. Thus, it is through this type of activity only I will make improvement in my assessed communication issue.

Besides this, from the 4 month I will take action towards my active listening skill. In this context, I will read books on active listening which is being written by different famous authors. In the similar way, I will attain the training and development programs which are being arranged by famous companies upon active listening. This technique is effective because in case if I have any kind of doubt regarding the skill then in this condition I can ask from the trainer of companies. At last with an aim to enhance my hearing capability I will join yoga classes also. Here, the schedule and operations for proposed action plan is mentioned through Gantt chart.                                                          

	1st month	2nd month	3rd month	4th month	5th month	6th month
Spoken English classes and learning grammar
Reading self help book, novels and writing blogs etc
Interacting with strangers
Read book on active listening
Training and development program
Attain Yoga

The best way to evaluate my given skill would be speaking English in front of huge people. Furthermore, I will also take feedback from my friends and family members regarding the improvement of given skills. Hence, it is by complying with these all type of activities only I will make improvement in the identified communication issues. 

References

Books and Journal

Arens, A. K., & Jansen, M. (2016). Self-concepts in reading, writing, listening, and speaking: A multidimensional and hierarchical structure and its generalizability across native and foreign languages. Journal of Educational Psychology, 108(5), pp.646.

Brenner, A. M. (2017). Listening: an underlying competency in psychiatry education. Academic Psychiatry, 41(3), pp.385-390.

Carnegie, D. (2017). How to develop self-confidence and influence people by public speaking. Simon and Schuster.

Duck, S., & McMahan, D. T. (2017). Communication in Everyday Life: The Basic Course Edition with Public Speaking. SAGE Publications.

German, K. M., and et.al., (2016). Principles of public speaking. Routledge.

Haylett, C. (2016). Use of Social Media for Teaching Online Courses and Enhancing Business Communication Skills at the University Level: Can This Really Be Done?. International Journal of Online Pedagogy and Course Design (IJOPCD), 6(4), pp.71-85.

Homer, S. R., Deeprose, C., & Andrade, J. (2016). Negative mental imagery in public speaking anxiety: Forming cognitive resistance by taxing visuospatial working memory. Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry, 50, pp. 77-82.

Jones, M., & Slack, R. (2016). Financial Reporting and Business Communication, Twentieth Annual Conference University of Bristol, Thursday 30 June & Friday 1 July 2016: First Call for Papers. Accounting and Business Research, 46(1), pp.118-119.

Komiya,R. and et.al. (2017). Head Pose Estimation and Motion Analysis of Public Speaking Videos. International Journal of Software Innovation (IJSI), 5(1), pp. 57-71.

Meyer, K. R., & Hunt, S. K. (2017). The lost art of lecturing: cultivating student listening and notetaking. Communication Education, 66(2), pp.239-241.

Raglio, A., and et.al., (2016). Effects of active music therapy on the normal brain: fMRI based evidence. Brain imaging and behavior, 10(1), pp. 182-186.

Takino, M. (2016). Negotiating the challenges of using English in business communication: listening narratives of Japanese BELF users (Doctoral dissertation, University of Southampton).