Oral Communication
The Importance of Oral Communication in the Business Context
Oral communication refers to all human interaction where the spoken word and language skills are used to communicate ideas to another individual or group. This form of communication is vital to all human relationships whether they are personal or professional because it is an effective way to let the world know about your thoughts and ideas.
Communication, whether oral or written, become particularly critical in the business context because subject expertise without accompanying communication capabilities can be a severe handicap if a person is never able to share their vision or ideas. An inability to communicate can lead to significant losses at the personal and company level. While written communication can some times be delegated or handed over with someone with the right skill sets, oral communication is not that easy to hand off. Whether you are in a meeting or a telephone call, it is critical that you present your ideas with clarity and precision and the very nature of the circumstances means that you cannot rely on others to do it for you.
The good news is that both oral and written communication skills can be acquired. Yes, it is true that some people seem to be born with the ability and tend to breeze through conference speeches and client presentations but those of us who do not have this natural born talent can acquire it by observing and adapting. Remember that effective oral communication does not mean you have to be a good speech maker but that you have to be able to be good at connecting with your audience and communicating your position.
The most common setting where you will need effective oral communication in the business world are in interviews, staff meetings, one-on-one discussions, presentations to peers, seniors and juniors, telephone discussions and informal coffee-room conversation. You may sometimes need to interface using technology as in a telephone conference or a videoconference and there may also be occasions for larger scale presentations such as to a larger professional group.
Here are the things that need to be the ground rule for good oral communication in all these contexts – it should be relevant, clear, precise and engaging. Sometimes it is necessary to see the absence of this to learn the value of these elements in oral communication. A long-winded personal anecdote, while it may be very funny, may be terribly irrelevant and may distance a listening audience in a business setting.
If you are working on your oral communication skills set conversational targets such as making sure that you be informative in a group meeting. This is a good goal for those who talk too much and those who talk too little. If you have information to share it is easier to speak up and contribute and if you find yourself digressing you can use this as a yard-stick for curtailing yourself.
If information and conciseness are the foundation of good oral communication, tact in tone, phraseology and body language are first level of construction. Empathy and a good reading of your setting will make you an effective oral communicator. You should pay attention to the verbal and non-verbal cues of your audience and this will help you choose the right words and right tone in handling the situation. If you are pitching an idea to a potential client, even if you have the perfect product and the perfect price, you may have to sell you idea. This may involve figuring out what features you need to emphasize. A price conscious client will appreciate that feature being high-lighted but a client who thinks in terms of delivery date and long-term relationship building may like it if you communicate those elements of your organization. This is nuanced oral communication where you tailor your message to a given audience.
Having said this it is important to assert that this is not about playing or controlling your listeners. That is not an effective long-term strategy. It will be seen as the manipulative ploy it is and you will get branded as the much maligned “used car salesman.” The basics of all good communication are honesty and respect for the other party and that holds true for all oral communication.
Whether you are a small business owner or you work in a large corporation, oral communication will have a big impact on your life and by investing some time and effort you can master this critical life skill.