Ethics and basic rules of business communication

Business communication is a way of communication between people in the process of carrying out entrepreneurial activities or performing work duties. That is, this is a type of communication that is associated with the production process of a product or the provision of any service and is not associated with personal or social relations between people.

Civilized business communications are based on the observance by its participants of certain unwritten rules and norms that contribute to the achievement of the goals set by the parties and the maintenance of good business relations between them, which are necessary for further mutually beneficial interaction.

The main difference between business relations and any others is their regulation. This means the presence of certain boundaries in relations, determined by cultural traditions, universal human moral principles and the requirements of professional ethics.

Ethics of business communication is one of the components of general ethics, which has all the characteristics of the latter. In a general sense, this concept can be viewed as a kind of portfolio of ideas about morality, its norms and rules, which are guided by people in relations with each other in the process of production activities.

The basic principles of business ethics are:

• receiving benefits by the maximum number of participants in the business relationship;
• ensuring the same access for all parties to the relationship to the subject of the business relationship.

In business communication, there is always a very sharp contradiction between ethical norms and the very essence of entrepreneurial activity, which business people solve in different ways. In any case, this decision boils down to one of the main positions:

• The essence of the pragmatic position or the principle of utilitarianism is that ethics and business are incompatible concepts. The main thing is to achieve maximum profit indicators by any means. Entrepreneurs who adhere to this point of view try to avoid talking about morality, social obligations and ethical standards.
• The civilized position or the principle of the moral imperative is based on the fact that it is ethics that can help maximize profits, expand or strengthen business contacts, introduce and strengthen ethical rules of conduct in society as a whole, which cannot but contribute to the further prosperity of business.

Business ethics today uses knowledge from various fields (ethics, psychology, scientific organization of labor).

There are several main tasks of etiquette:

• The presence of certain established standards of conduct and the need to comply with them simplify the procedure for communication both with other organizations and within the work collective, since it is much faster and easier to work in accordance with generally accepted models. While observing business etiquette, the communication participants have a clear idea of ​​what to expect from each other.
• Etiquette contributes to maintaining normal relationships with representatives of the external environment of the organization, as well as creating a working environment in the team.
• It also maintains the moral comfort of each participant in the communication. In human life, mental stability is often more important than physical comfort. The existence of the rules of professional relations contributes to the receipt of a person's job satisfaction.

The basic principles of business etiquette are based on the fact that when making a decision, you should do so that the limits of action are combined with the moral values ​​of other participants in communications and can be coordinated with their interests. At the same time, coordination should have a morally justified goal, for the achievement of which only ethically relevant tools should be used.

There are several basic principles:

• Interpersonal. Any communication, including business, takes place between people with their personal characteristics. And despite the fact that the communication between them has a professional orientation, the interpersonal relationship will still influence the process of interaction.
• Continuity. The essence of this principle lies in the initiation of constant contact by the communication participants, if they find themselves in the field of view of each other. Proceeding from the fact that people communicate both verbal and non-verbal means, they constantly share certain information with each other, to which each participant in the communication gives its own meaning and draws its own conclusions.
• Purposefulness. Any interaction has a specific goal or several goals. However, they can be explicit or implicit. When speaking to an audience, the speaker has an explicit goal to convey certain material to the audience, and an implicit one - for example, to demonstrate to the audience his remarkable intelligence and eloquence.
• Multidimensionality. This principle assumes that in business relations there is not only the exchange of information, but also the regulation of the relationship between the parties. That is, in professional interaction, its participants transmit to each other their emotional attitude, which acts as a regulator of their business ties.

Based on the above tasks and principles of business ethics, it is possible to formulate professional ethical rules, which are equally necessary for compliance by ordinary employees in the team, as well as by the manager or owner of the enterprise.

They are one of the key tools for success in a profession or business:

• Accuracy and punctuality. As part of a professional or commercial relationship, you should try to never be late for work, a meeting, or a business meeting. After all, the degree of respect and trust in a person who keeps waiting all the time and at the same time wastes other people's time is rapidly decreasing. Such a quality on the part of others speaks of the inability to adapt to the modern rhythm of life, unreliability. It is also important to value the time of others and not take it away for unnecessary conversations without their permission.
• Effective workspace organization... A workplace can speak volumes about its owner. It is clear that if it is kept in order, the same can be said about a person's thoughts. In addition, it significantly saves working time. After all, it may take a lot of time to find the necessary document on the desktop cluttered with papers.
• Polite communication and respect for others... In business relationships, it is important to respect and strive to understand the interlocutor, to be able to put yourself in his place and look at the situation through his eyes. Insults and humiliation in the professional sphere are unacceptable, as well as shouting, "strong" expressions and rudeness. You need to be able to act not only in your own interests. At the same time, you should not show excessive altruism. This type of behavior can indicate excessive softness.

• Appearance appropriate to the situation. You should always remember that appearance is an important part of business communication. The main thing in the image is not the presence of expensive attributes, but neatness and neatness. If a certain style of clothing is adopted in the office, then it is better to adhere to it so as not to cause negative attitudes towards yourself from both the management and colleagues.
• Working attitude... If an employee is focused on results, then this has a positive effect on both his career and the efficiency of the company. The attitude of "carelessness" is never credible. With such employees, the company can hardly hope to achieve its goals.
• Restrained gestures. Don't forget about your personal space. Business etiquette does not accept tactile contact between communication participants. Kisses and touching are not allowed. The only thing that can take place is a handshake. It is also worth minimizing various gestures and facial expressions, because they can easily identify innuendo or uncertainty. The back should be kept straight, the gaze should be firm, and the movements should be clear.

• Rules for everyone. Business etiquette is the same for everyone, both male and female. A business woman can also shake hands with her interlocutor. At the same time, she cannot flirt, throw unequivocal glances or pretend to be.The characteristics of the character of a participant in a business relationship should not be made public. Rigor and restraint are the basic rules to be followed in a work environment.
• Observance of the hierarchy... In business communication, it is not gender that comes to the fore, but the principle of hierarchy. That is, the status of an employee is determined by his place on the career ladder. Compliance with subordination is one of the most important rules in business relations.
• Relationships within the team... Achieving the goals set by the company is impossible without an effective team. A good team is built on the right interaction between its members (equal relationship, the absence of "favorites" and "victims", the inadmissibility of personal relationships).

• Confidentiality... Employees should be able to keep confidential information, official secrets, not spread about the state of affairs in the company, monitor the protection of personal data.
• Business tone in letters... In correspondence sent on behalf of the company, or in response to any document, you must adhere to the rules of business correspondence.

In a traditional society in relation to the values ​​and norms of business etiquette in the organization there are several types of human behavior:

• "Disciplined" - an employee devoted to the organization who fully accepts the norms of behavior accepted in it and behaves in such a way as not to create a conflict of interests (of his own and the company).
• "Adapting" - an employee who behaves in accordance with generally accepted norms in the company, but does not accept its values. Despite the fact that such an employee follows the rules, he cannot be called loyal and loyal to the company. In extreme conditions for him, he may well commit an act that runs counter to the values ​​of the company.
• "Original" - a type of employee who shares the values ​​of the company, but the norms of behavior established in it are unacceptable for him. In this regard, such a person may have conflicts with management and colleagues. The successful adaptation of such an employee is possible only if the company, as an exception, allows him not to follow the general norms.
• "Rebel" - an employee for whom both values ​​and the rules established in the organization are alien. Despite warnings, he breaks down barriers and constantly conflicts with others at all levels of the hierarchy. The need to adhere to certain patterns is perceived negatively by him. The reason for this may be a reluctance to understand the importance of corporate norms and values, and the lack of the necessary skills for this.

The peculiarities of communication, conditioned by professional duties or business necessity, depend on the level at which or between which levels of the management hierarchy it occurs. Let's consider each type of interaction separately.

The main content of ethical rules in communication between a subordinate and a leader is reduced to some highlights:

• The subordinate by his behavior should contribute to maintaining a comfortable psychological atmosphere in the team and help his boss in this.
• An attempt by a subordinate to lead the boss will be considered a manifestation of non-observance of the hierarchical principle and disrespect. The subordinate has the right to express his opinion to the manager, but in the correct form and taking into account his position.
• A categorical tone when communicating with management is not allowed.
• Contacting a supervisor is considered unacceptable.

Features of the category of vertical relations from top to bottom are determined by the rule: you need to build relationships with subordinates the way you would like the relationship with the leader to look.

The leader must:

• strive to create a cohesive team, striving to achieve common goals;
• find out the reasons for the difficulties arising in the process of professional activity;
• to draw the attention of subordinates to the orders of the management that have not been fulfilled by them;
• to appreciate the merits of their subordinates;
• trust your subordinates;
• admit your mistakes;
• treat all employees equally.

The manager cannot:

• criticize the personality of the employee;
• make comments in front of other subordinates;
• show employees that the manager is not in control of the situation.

The essence of the rules of etiquette concerning the direction of the relationship horizontally lies in the observance of the principle of empathy, that is, presenting oneself in the role of one's colleague.

Some examples of etiquette at the employee-employee level are:

• call colleagues by name, because the path to building friendships lies through the person's name;
• smile and be friendly with colleagues;
• try to listen to colleagues, not just yourself;
• treat each employee as a person;
• treat colleagues as impartially as possible;
• try to share responsibilities when performing common tasks;
• not make unrealistic promises.

You will learn even more about the most important business communication skills in the following video.