Basic Business Communication. Lesson 2. Spoken Communication

Basic Business Communication
Lesson 2: Spoken Communication
1. The nature of spoken communication
Spoken communication refers to all communication where the mouth is used to produce intelligible words in
a recognised human language. - A language is any system used for communication that uses symbols and
rules called grammar.
In simple terms spoken communication can then be described as the transfer of ideas through language &
the spoken word. Spoken communication utilises two tools.
• Language - What we say using the rules of grammar.
• Voice - How we say it.
As can be seen in the figure below, more meaning is conveyed by the way we say something than the actual
words used, and even more is conveyed by the non-verbal clues that accompanies the message.
2. Spoken language.
2.1. Effective use of spoken language
Although the actual words used does not convey the bulk of the message, it is the starting point for effective
communication, and as such the language used must be clear and understandable, and the goal of the
message must be clear.

Good language will be…
• grammatically correct in terms of the nouns, verbs, adjectives,
conjunctions, etc. used.
• in the correct word order
• clear and unambiguous
• suited to the audience.
Some language goals are:
• To provide information
• To express emotions
• To influence others
• To have contact with others
• To provide pleasure (Prose & poetry)
2.2. Ineffective use of spoken language
There are certain words and phrases whose very use can render our communication ineffective. The table
below summarises these language types with a short description and an example of each.
Language Type Description Example
Cliché An overused expression Don’t judge a book by its cover
Abbreviation Shortening a word RSVP / ASAP / ETA
Jargon
Words used by people of a specific
trade or profession
Tech Talk
Slang Words that takes on another meaning “Howzit, my bra.”
Redundancy Using unnecessary words A dead body was discovered
Parrot speak Over rehearsed words Telemarketers
Buzz words Popular words, used without thinking Going Viral / Marketing funnels
Discriminatory
language
Prejudiced or biased
Old people are bad drivers.
Manipulative
language
Language to make
you fearful
Small talk / arbitrary
chatter
Controlling others with what and how
you say it
Language to warn or change
behaviour
Random chit-chat
Are you really going to eat that?
Danger! Gevaar! Ingozi!
Nice weather we’re having.

3. Aspects of the voice.
Even if we use good language, if we do not have good voice control our spoken communication will be
ineffective. The table below summarises some of these voice aspects, with a short description of each and a
tip on how to improve that aspect of your voice.
Aspect Explanation Improvement Tip
Pitch High or low / Treble or base Avoid the extremes
Volume Loud or soft Adjust for room size
Tone Reflects attitude Show happy/sad/angry/caring
Rate/tempo Quickly or slowly Vary your pace & rhythm
Breath control Not running out of breath Keep it normal. Breathe deeply if you’re nervous
Articulation How clearly you speak Say it once / Use your lips
Projection Getting the audience to hear you Project, don’t shout!
Pronunciation The way we say words Sound the vowels correctly
Relaxation Indicates calm Assertive - Not passive / aggressive
4. Direct vs indirect speech.
Direct speech requires a face-to-face meeting with at least one other person but includes small group
discussions or an individual speaking to a large group.
The communication can be formal or informal, it can be one-way or two-way with feedback and it will be
accompanied by non-verbal gestures.
The advantages of direct speech are listed below.

Whereas direct speech requires a face-to-face meeting with other people,
indirect speech requires a meeting device. Examples of indirect speech includes
phone – and conference calls, addresses over a PA system, or radio and TV broadcasts.
The characteristics of indirect communication are that there is no eye contact, and it is fast and convenient.
Like direct communication, it can be one-way or two-way, and it can be with or without feedback.
The advantages of indirect speech are listed below.
5. Planning to speak.
In our normal day-to-day interaction with friends and family, we will always speak spontaneously, but when
we have to speak in a formal capacity, it is important to plan before we speak. The figure below sets out the
four-step preparation of prepare, practice, deliver and master.

6. Spoken communication in the workplace.
The use of spoken communication in the workplace is vast and unavoidable. Some of the uses of spoken
communication in the workplace include the following:
• Informal group discussions
• Giving instructions & directions
• Explaining or solving problems
• Interviews
• Training
• Coaching
• Meetings
• Presentations
• Customer interactions
• Phone calls
We are going to have a closer look at some of these.
6.1. Interviews
The use of interviews in the workplace is illustrated below.
Oxford Interviews are a special class of interviews to assess if the candidate is able to think outside of norm.
Below are a couple of interesting questions in this interview class.
• Would it be okay for monkeys to experiment on humans?
• Was Shakespeare high when he wrote “A Midsummer Night’s Dream?”
• Is it okay for an economist to be poor?

6.2. Training and Coaching
The difference between training and coaching is outline below.
6.3. Brainstorming
Brainstorming is the exchange ideas with limit rationalization & criticism. While it can turn a bit chaotic, there
are ways to making it mor structured, like using De Bono’s 6-Hatsmethodology, that is summarized below.