Business styles

Communication in the business style is now important for representatives of any specialties, as success in a career largely depends on effective communication. The business style is sometimes significantly different from ordinary interpersonal communication, and moreover, in different enterprises and in different areas one may encounter his own peculiarities of communication that are accepted in this circle. Nevertheless, the general rules of business etiquette are the same for everyone.

At work, all communication is reduced to the solution of certain tasks - this is what distinguishes a business conversation from any other. Work contacts are highly standardized, so there is little opportunity for creativity in such communication. However, even in a rigid framework, you can and should show your individuality - This will help to quickly find contact with new people, win over your opponents and effectively achieve your goals. At the same time it is important to take into account the specific features inherent in corporate speech etiquette.

Business communication can be vertical and horizontal. The first option involves the communication of the boss and subordinate - usually it is the official business option that requires compliance with subordination. Horizontal communication implies contacts with colleagues: such conversations can be approached more creatively, usually they require adherence to fewer rules.

Business communication can take place within the company or imply communication with potential customers, partners or investors. Such communication will have its own specifics. In particular, building external contacts, you should be very careful and adapt to the interlocutor. When a person can understand the motives of partners in the process of communication, he can act more boldly, for example, skillfully use manipulation or introduce elements of interpersonal communication into the conversation.

In a business conversation, it is important to take into account the specifics of professional activity. If a person works in a bank or in a law firm, the accepted standards of interaction with colleagues and supervisors will be as rigid and official as possible. If he works in the field of art or in the entertainment industry, then flexibility of style is important - he should be businesslike, but not too formal. May require proper use of slang and professional jargon.

It is impossible to clearly describe the process of communication and classify all communicative situations, giving them a clear description. In business communication, even if it is strictly regulated, each participant in the dialogue introduces something of his own. The subtleties of such communication depend on the personality of the speaker, his temperament, experience, goals and objectives. Situations at work are also complex, and in the framework of negotiations alone a number of issues are being addressed in parallel. Nevertheless, it is possible to conditionally divide business communication into three styles:

• Manipulative. The style implies that the speaker sets the topic of the dialogue and makes decisions unilaterally in the course of the discussion.In fact, the speaker uses his partner to achieve certain goals in the process of dialogue, sets the scope of the conversation and leads to answers. Such communication is characteristic, first of all, for the corporate learning process. In addition, the manipulative style can be used to control. Finally, in the process of negotiation, it is this style that allows you to persistently persuade your opponent.

• Ritual communication style serves to maintain a certain image. This style is usually the most regulated. Their rituals can be within the framework of one company, grow, as well as common for all business people. This style includes everyday communication between chiefs and subordinates, a discussion of organizational issues, and the maintenance of business contacts with partners.
• Humanistic style implies the mutual interest of the participants in the communicative situation in the common cause. This implies the mutual assistance, help and support that people provide to each other. The personal qualities of partners are not evaluated in terms of good or bad, but simply taken into account. This style is relevant for solving current work issues in the environment of equal colleagues with different specializations.

Each style of business communication can correspond to its own direction. Under the direction of communication is to understand the relationship of one person to another, which is based on the requirements of a particular situation, the belief system and experience of the speaker, and it is expressed in the choice of communication tools. Different orientations may be appropriate or inappropriate in different communicative situations.

If a person wants to build a constructive dialogue, then it is very important to be able to communicate with different directions - it depends on the goals and on the behavior of the interlocutor:

• Dialogue orientation - This is a focus on mutual respect, cooperation and equal dialogue. It is characteristic of the humanistic style of business communication: openness, freedom of expression and an attempt at mutual understanding can be the basis for successful cooperation and development on an equal footing.
• Authoritarian orientation expressed in the apparent dominance of one of the partners in communication. This option may be appropriate for the manipulative style.

• Manipulative orientation - this is the desire to get their own benefit from the communicative situation. Most characteristic of the manipulative style. However, situations within this style can be very different: learning implies manipulation directly, and tough negotiations implicit manipulation. These two situations require different communication skills.
• Alterocentric orientation - it is an orientation to the interlocutor in the process of communication, the desire to understand him and satisfy his needs. This focus works well in the process of communication with investors, partners and customers. At the same time, it can be observed in a humanistic, and sometimes in a ritual style.

• Conformal focus - it is an orientation to submission in the process of communication, refusal to counteract, reactive communication. It will be appropriate in certain situations within the framework of the ritual style, and such an approach is characteristic of communication in a manipulative style, when one of the partners dominates communication and the second adjusts. For example, this happens when learning.
• Indifferent orientation most often characteristic of ritual communication. The essence of the problems raised in communication, in this case is ignored, the dialogue is completely stereotyped. Such an orientation may be appropriate in the framework of the manipulative style.For example, in the process of negotiation, indifferent communication is one of the main behaviors.

Now there are many trainings on business communication, which provide examples of dialogues and their detailed analysis. Nevertheless, it is best to learn in practice in the process of real communication in different genres of business communication. The genres include negotiations, interviews, meetings, business conversations, telephone conversations. The emotional-creative genre includes communicative situations at the junction of business and interpersonal communication.

To correctly choose the styles and orientation of business communication, it is necessary to pay attention to a number of important nuances:

• In modern business culture it is not customary to abuse the manipulative style of communication: it is often misplaced. At present, even when teaching new staff and interns, the humanistic style is often used - the learner should listen, conduct an equal dialogue, proceed from his personal qualities and give freedom of expression, if possible. During the negotiation process, a manipulative style may be appropriate, but not always. It can be considered a success if it is possible to solve the problem using the humanistic style so that all parties are satisfied with the result.
• You can not neglect the ritual communication. Anyone who talks in this style more often than he thinks. Even on duty conversations with colleagues relate to the ritual style. It allows you to maintain good relations and a friendly atmosphere in the team, even if any conflicts occur.

• The humanistic style is the most productive for solving various tasks within one team. Nevertheless, when communicating in this style, the equal contribution of all participants in the dialogue, their activity and interest is very important. If someone begins to communicate in a manipulative, conformal or indifferent direction, it becomes more difficult to keep the communicative situation within the framework of the humanistic style.
• Not all work situations are fully standardized.. Often, in order to establish a productive dialogue, it is very important to open up the interlocutor, since it is the elements of personal communication within a business that often help to establish contact, attract a person and achieve goals.

You will learn more about what styles of business communication you have from the following video.