– by Ayanda Radebe
For a business to succeed in the working environment, effective communication must be mastered from all levels of its hierarchy. The organisation can achieve this through adopting appropriate communication tools, practice and comprehension of the modern, techno-related communication challenges. We recently hosted a group from the KZN Office of the Premier on a Business Communication and Report Writing Programme comprising delegates from various departments.
The programme began with assessing the delegates’ existing business communication and report writing skills as a platform to build from. As this group of delegates deals with high-profile people in the industry, they were given scenarios on addressing and acknowledging important individuals during meetings.
The course was facilitated by two highly experienced professionals Dr Nolwazi Ngcobo, academic, social worker and Lecturer at the School of Applied Human Sciences, UKZN, as well as Lwazi Shongwe, social and market research, monitoring and evaluation, and business communications specialist at the School of Applied Human Science, UKZN.
Effective communication is crucial for business in today’s fast-paced and interconnected world. The facilitators explored various strategies with delegates, including techniques to communicate clearly, confidently and persuasively.
Reports are vital for conveying information and making informed decisions within an organisation. The facilitators shared different methods for structuring reports, crafting concise and engaging content, and presenting data effectively. In groups, delegates were given activities covering various sections, from business proposals to analytical reports. Writing a report, as it is an essential skill in our daily lives as it helps to communicate information, ideas, and analysis effectively and efficiently. It can be used in various contexts, such as in school, work, business, and personal projects.
Below are some key tips to good report writing:
- Knowing the types of writing a report involves
- Being able to identify the audience and purpose of your report
- Being able to read reports for your audience
- Knowing the purpose of each section in a report (not just where the information goes)
- Understanding how good organisation of your report helps the reader find the information they want
- Having the ability to communicate well both in writing and using graphical data
The programme also covered contemporary issues such as the modern/techno world implications, short business messages, digital media, conflict and leadership.