Communication is a vital part of everyday life which enables individuals to voice their opinions and ideas. There are various forms of communication, in this paper emphasis will be made on interpersonal communication issues in business organisations. Interpersonal communication encompasses the exchange of ideas using various methods such as gestures, words, voice tone, body posture and facial expressions (Barnes, 2015). Interpersonal communication skills are an important part of an organisation since effective communication facilitates teamwork and dictates operational efficiency.
Interpersonal communication enables an organisation to carry out interviews for selecting their staff. The skills enable the interviewer to seek information about the candidate which is not available on the resume and to select the right individual. The individuals being interviewed are also able to sell themselves so that they might be able to get the job (Sarapaivanich, 2015). Businesses also utilize interpersonal skills to persuade people. Persuasion is a critical aspect of every business since it entails convincing people to buy your product or service. When one has the right skills they are able to persuade a lot of people into purchasing their services and products which leads to success for the organisation.
Communication Issues
When people interact with each other in a business on a day to day basis, communication issues are bound to arise. Some of the issues include intercultural communication, persuasions, negotiations, meetings, discussions and conflict resolution issues. Intercultural communication refers to communication issues which arise in an organization made up of people from a variety of social, religious, educational and ethnic backgrounds (House, 2014). The individuals bring a unique set of values and experiences to the workplace, a lot of which is traceable to their individual culture. An organisation that facilitates effective communication both verbal and written between people from the various cultural groups is far better equipped to succeed than organizations which allow conflict from cultural differences to harden and fester (Kei, 2015). The failure to resolve and address culturally based tensions and conflicts is showcased in the organisations decreased productivity and diminished performance.
For effective management strategies, managers require a more accurate intercultural communication understanding. Managers are required to proactively engage in the assessment of communication skills making the required adjustments to address the needs of a diverse workforce. The manager should know each member, retain a culturally diverse staff, get to know the cultural differences of each member, addressing conflict immediately it arises (Martin, 2015).
Persuasion
Persuasion is a process or act of presenting arguments to motivate, change or move your audience (Bonaccio, 2016). It is a communication skill which enables a person to present their point of view from the receivers, inducing them to receive the act accordingly. Persuasion of one of the most critical tools that any manager, business executive or leader is required to have. When one has strong persuasion skills, they are able to achieve any goal that they set forth. A good salesperson is required to have excellent persuasion skills which will arouse the interest of the buyer. Managers are required to have good persuasion skills to persuade workers in adopting new operation methods or taking up a particular course in an organization. Managers are also able to resolve issues in the organization using persuasion.
Negotiations
Negotiation is another communication issue which might arise in the business, it is a process in which two or more parties which have different goals and needs discuss an issue to reach a mutually acceptable solution (Sarapaivanich, 2015). Negotiation skills are crucial for businesses for both informal interactions and formal transactions. To achieve effective communication in an organization, the manager is required to have strong interpersonal skills, they include effective verbal communication, listening, problem-solving and decision-making skills among others. Effective negotiation leads to success in the business organization, one is therefore required to have the required communication skills which assist in negotiations.
Meetings and Discussions
There are a lot of meetings and discussions which take place in an organization. The meetings might be internal or external. However, for both types of meetings, communication skills are required to ensure that people are able to reach out their points properly and in the right manner. When the right communication skills are utilized, the meeting becomes fruitful and the purpose of the meeting is achieved. Poor communication skills, on the other hand, make the discussions and the meetings not to attain their goal (Sarapaivanich, 2015). In most cases, managers are the ones who head the meetings, they are therefore required to have the proper interpersonal communication skills which will assist them in communicating their points. They are supposed to communicate their points in a clear and audible manner. They should also be brief utilizing the required gestures and facial expressions in the discussions and meetings.
Conflict and Resolution issues
When people, from different cultural backgrounds, meet each other in the workplace, there are some instances when conflict arises. The conflicting parties can resolve the problems on their own, or when necessary they involve the manager in the organization (Currie, 2017). Both ways of resolving conflict require the involvement of the right interpersonal communication skills. In most cases, the conflict usually arises due to poor forms of communication between the conflicting parties. When conflict is resolved quickly it leads to professional and personal development and increased productivity in the organization (Gilin Oore, 2015). Participants should be trained on interpersonal communication skills to assist them in identifying the conflict resolution styles which enables them to solve conflict. Members of an organisation are also required to learn the differences between every person which enables them to avoid antagonizing each other (Currie, 2017). The manager will, therefore, use effective communication strategies in solving the conflict.
Conclusion
Interpersonal communication skills are essential for a business since they lead to productivity and efficiency in an organisation. They assist in conducting interviews, persuasions, negotiations in intercultural communication and in meetings and discussions. Every member of an organisation is required to have the right skills for effective functioning.
References
Barnes, B. R. L. C. L. N. Y. S. a. C. N. L., 2015. Interpersonal factors as drivers of quality and performance in Western–Hong Kong interorganisational business relationships. Journal of International Marketing 23, no. 1, pp. 23-49.
Bonaccio, S. J. O. S. L. O. a. F. C., 2016. Nonverbal behavior and communication in the workplace: A review and an agenda for research. Journal of Management 42, no. 5, pp. 1044-1074.
Currie, D. T. G. B. R. a. P. T., 2017. The management of workplace conflict: Contrasting pathways in the HRM literature. International Journal of Management Reviews 19, no. 4, pp. 492-509.
Gilin Oore, D. M. P. L. a. D. E. L., 2015. Individual and organisational factors promoting successful responses to workplace conflict. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne 56, no. 3, p. 301.
House, J., 2014. "Moving across languages and cultures in translation as intercultural communication. In Translational action and intercultural communication, pp. pp. 14-46. .
Kei, S. S. a. R. Y., 2015. The Significance of Intercultural Communication for Businesses and the Obstacles that Managers should overcome in Achieving Effective Intercultural Communication. Global Journal of Management and Business Research.
Martin, J. N. a. T. K. N., 2015. Reconsidering intercultural (communication) competence in the workplace: A dialectical approach. Language and Intercultural Communication 15, no. 1, pp. 13-28.
Sarapaivanich, N. a. P. G. P., 2015. The role of interpersonal communication in developing small-medium size enterprise (SME) client loyalty toward an audit firm. International Small Business Journal 33, no. 8, pp. 882-900.
