What is a business communication ethic? This is courtesy, a culture of communication and the ability to solve any situation without argument or screaming. Like universal moral standards, the ethics of business conduct are not spelled out anywhere. Therefore, its concept in people is somewhat vague. In this article, you can familiarize yourself with the rules of the principles and norms of business conduct.
The concept
What is a business communication ethic? These are the principles and norms that have been developed over the years. Thanks to them, you can solve any controversial situation without conflict and assault. Ethics of business communication regulates the duties of employees, their external and internal behavior, and also forms the business reputation of each individual employee. Thanks to the norms, rules and principles, people manage to maintain a friendly atmosphere in the team, to avoid disputes and misunderstandings. The unwritten respect that each person has for his superiors, colleagues, and also clients gives him the opportunity to treat everyone impartially.
Some companies even create written codes of ethics so that employees know how to behave in a given situation. And in some companies special psychological courses and trainings are held.
Respect for the opinions of others
How often does a person believe that he is right, but others - not? This happens all the time. Ethics of business communication is, first of all, respect for the opinions of others. A person must understand that at work, and in life, he is surrounded by people whom they educated, guided by some other principles, perhaps they have different life values. But your vision of the world and your values should not interfere with working with people. Respect for the opinions of others is the path to success, which leads to increase. People who know how to enter the position of another and listen to his reasoned position always achieve more than those who believe that their opinion is the only one that deserves attention.
The ethics of business communication are that people have to compromise. There is no magic tool that helps a person convince his opponent of his own right. You have to do this with arguments. And if you do not know how to clearly, beautifully and succinctly prove your position, be prepared for the fact that your opinion will remain unheard. There is no one to be offended in such a situation. It should be understood that in order to become someone in the business world, you need to be able to present yourself and your opinion. And also do not forget to periodically adjust it, if circumstances so require.
Gossip
Ethics of business communication is respect for your colleagues. And what kind of respect can we talk about if a person dissolves gossip? Normal relationships can be maintained with those people who will not mix their personal lives and business relationships. Of course, your colleagues may be interested in information about the new restaurant that you were in yesterday, but not everyone will be pleased to hear about how tired your boss is. And if the discussion of the leadership with your colleagues in the workshop is half the trouble, then the discussion of your colleagues is a real problem. If you talk about someone and uncover other people's secrets, they will stop taking you seriously.
You need to be able to respect someone else's personal life. Do not compose tales and do not transmit what you heard from colleagues over a cup of coffee that was drunk together. Learn to be above gossip and gossip. If someone asks you for an opinion on a particular person, just say what you could safely express in the person of the person in question.
Don't say too much
Want to seem smarter? Be silent more. This is the golden principle of business communication ethics. In order not to get into an absurd situation, try to remain calm. If you have nothing to say to a colleague over a cup of coffee, you can very well spend your break in silence. Do not be afraid that they will think badly of you. It will be worse if you talk about something completely uninteresting for your interlocutor.
Keep track of what you tell and to whom. Try not to discuss your colleagues and not speak badly about the current state of the working draft. The topic of finance should also be deleted. You can discuss monetary matters only with clients or business partners. Cases must be conducted openly. Colleagues should know exactly who, for what and how much they receive. Transparent accounting removes all disputes and misunderstandings that may arise in the team.
Do not break oral agreements
A man who keeps his word is worthy of respect. The ability to comply with oral agreements is one of the principles of ethics of business communication. Having agreed with someone about something, you should write down what you promised to do. And if the project has a deadline, you will need to meet the deadlines, and ideally - to do it in advance. Do not make promises if you know that you cannot fulfill the request. You do not want to offend a person? You will offend him more if you disappoint when you cannot fulfill the promise. It is not so scary to refuse requests for help, it is worse to be considered a person who does not fulfill his promises.
Sometimes some unscrupulous people can promise and forget something. And when they will ask the result from them, they will say that there was no agreement, since nothing is documented anywhere. To give up responsibility in this way is not worth it. Once undermining self-confidence, it will be difficult to return, and sometimes impossible.
A culture of speech
Want to abide by the rules of ethics of business communication? Then watch not only what you say, but also how you do it. Stick to a business communication style. Do not use rude and especially obscene words. Do not raise your voice neither to a colleague, nor to a boss, or to a sponsor. A calm and reasonable person always inspires more confidence.
Control the speed of your speech. Some people speak too fast, while others, on the contrary, are used to stretching words. Both options are inappropriate. It should be said at the optimum speed for the listener. You can develop it at home, talking with relatives.
If you have a strong accent, you need to get rid of it. Some people think that the wrong dialect adds charm to them. It's funny to hear that. Perhaps this will make the actor more charismatic, but certainly not a person in a business suit.
Do not neglect your health and that of others
Superiors must take care of subordinates. If a project is running out of time, you can ask employees to work overtime, but an extra day off should be given for this processing. If refining happens too often, think about how well the work process is set. Perhaps your trusted people who oversee this or that project, can not cope with the task assigned to them.
In the ethics of professional and business communication, there are invisible boundaries that separate each person. This area is called personal space. It should not be broken. Everyone should take care not to cross the boundaries of the personal space of a colleague and not to bring his subtle spiritual nature to tears. Such cases are not uncommon. In any team, you can meet energy vampires who are only engaged in those activities that spoil the mood of others.
Language of the body
Speaking briefly about the ethics of business communication, one cannot but mention non-verbal signs. Body language plays an important role both in everyday life and in the business world. What you need to know and what should be avoided? When communicating with your partners, or colleagues, try not to accept closed poses. Do not cross arms or legs unless absolutely necessary. Do not hide your hands in your pockets. If you cannot find application for hands, gesticulate.
Do not twist pencils and pens. Small objects flying every now and then in the zone of visibility are very distracting from the essence of the conversation. Do not make sudden movements. They give out internal tension. Be relaxed. You should be comfortable sitting in a chair or standing in front of a person.
Do not think about your appearance. It is very unpleasant to watch how the person sitting in front of you is constantly correcting his hair or tie. It shows the fact that your opponent is trying hard to please you.
Let others speak out
Norms of ethics of business communication imply courteous communication of people with each other. You have probably noticed that some people, in a fit of passion or when some thought has completely taken hold of their mind, begin to behave very unnaturally. They raise their voices, interrupt the interlocutor and believe that their opinion is the only true one. You must respect all the people gathered in the office. Let everyone speak out.
Even if you are the head of the organization and have already made a decision, listen to the opinion from the outside. A person is always pleased when they are interested in his opinion. Even if you do not apply the advice received from your colleagues, the fact of a respectful conversation will raise you in their eyes. The main thing to remember is that you can never interrupt a person. Even if your opponent is completely bullshit, you should listen to him to the end.
Listen to the person you are talking to
The concept of business communication ethics is based on a unique property of a person that very few possess. Listening is the greatest gift you can develop in yourself. Everyone can hear the interlocutor, but not many can delve into the essence of his monologue. Most people are so used to playing with one goal that they don’t even try to understand the essence of the conversation. When a person does not speak, he forms a phrase in the brain that he will utter. He simply does not have free time to figure out what, in general, is at stake. It is for this reason that most disputes occur. It is difficult to convey your thoughts to a person when he closes and thinks completely not about the subject of conversation.
It is easy to develop the skill of an attentive listener. Try not to have an internal conversation with yourself at a time when someone is talking to you. Perhaps at first it will be difficult. To check how well you understand the gist of the conversation, do a simple exercise after each conversation. Spin the dialogue back. Phrase by phrase, try to build your speech and the speech of the interlocutor. Such a simple exercise will show you how many percent of the conversation it turned out to remember.
Be nice
Ethics and culture of business communication is based on your internal and external condition. In any situation, no matter how bad you may be, you should keep your face. Smile at the person and speak with him as friendly as possible. Your opponent is not to blame for the family troubles, that the bus was late or that the car did not start in the morning.
Minor troubles should not spoil the mood of you or your colleagues. Thanks to a positive outlook on the world and a friendly attitude, you will be recognized as a kind and open person. This characteristic will allow you to gain the trust of colleagues, customers and superiors. And most importantly, always in a good mood, you will develop a habit of positive thinking that will help you overcome all the troubles of life.