Define Business Communication purpose

Feedback and goals define purposeful communication.

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For some professionals, the purpose of communication in business can sometimes seem like an excuse for a boss or a customer to talk endlessly about their problems. Effective executives understand the opportunity inherent in that kind of communication to uncover powerful solutions that can propel a company to long-term success.

Features

Achieving real effectiveness requires executives to define the outcome they want to achieve from any communication with a customer or with a colleague. Author and lecturer Asha Kaul writes that setting an expected outcome helps communicators focus their energy on a specific, measurable goal. In addition, Kaul notes that the most powerful business communication requires an interactive cycle marked by speaking and listening. For instance, a salesperson and a prospect may volley communications for days or weeks before arriving at the intended next action: a closed deal.

Effects

Viewing the purpose of communication as an opportunity to reach a defined goal helps professionals refocus their efforts around cultivating strong relationships, inside and outside their organizations. The effects of building a feedback cycle around engaged listening often include increased sales, earned trust, and status as a key adviser for customers and executives. Using scenario planning and other conceptual tools, professionals can review their progress along a longer-term path, reducing frustration over perceived audience resistance.

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