Effective communication is the sole of every successful business. Whether you’re trying to persuade others, resolve conflicts, or inspire loyalty, having strong communication skills is essential.
In this article, we will introduce you to 15 must-read books on business communication that will help you hone your skills and achieve your goals.
What is business communication study?
Business communication is the study of the communication methods and strategies used in business contexts.
It encompasses a wide range of communication activities, including written and oral communication, nonverbal communication, and technology-mediated communication.
The goal of studying business communication is to develop a deep understanding of how to communicate effectively in various business contexts and to apply this knowledge to achieve better outcomes for businesses and their stakeholders.
With the significance of business communication in mind, professionals can leverage communication strategies to achieve success in their careers and help their organizations thrive.
Why do we study business communication?
Business communication is a crucial aspect of any organization’s success, and studying it is essential for anyone looking to excel in the business world.
One of the key features of business communication is to improve our communication skills
Effective communication is a critical component of success in business, and studying business communication can help us develop our writing, speaking, and listening skills.
In addition, Studying business communication also enables us to keep up with changing communication technologies, leading to increased success in negotiations, sales, and other business activities.
Top 15 Business communication books to Study in 2023
1) “Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High” by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler
– This book provides practical tools for having difficult conversations in high-stakes situations, such as conflicts, negotiations, and performance reviews. It helps readers develop skills in dialogue, listening, and persuasion to navigate complex conversations effectively.
Review: For the MBTI framework believers, specifically those of which are classified as INTJ, this book is an absolute MUST. The book presents the unfortunate situation we all live in, which is the inability of people to speak their mind without it having an impact on the way they are seen. Hence becomes a practical tool for people management.
2) “The Art of Communicating” by Thich Nhat Hanh
– This book offers insights and practices for communicating mindfully and effectively in both personal and professional settings.
The Art of Communication is also one of the best books on communication as it emphasizes the importance of active listening, compassion, and mindfulness in building stronger relationships and resolving conflicts.
Review: This is a very succinct book on communicating. It digs through the roots of all communication issues and misunderstandings between people- beginning with self-communication to communication within a community.
3) “The Power of Communication: Skills to Build Trust, Inspire Loyalty, and Lead Effectively” by Helio Fred Garcia
– This book focuses on developing the essential communication skills needed to build trust, inspire loyalty, and lead effectively. It covers topics such as nonverbal communication, storytelling, and crisis communication, providing practical tips and strategies for improving communication in a range of contexts.
Review: Really enjoyed this book. Very well-written, engaging, and full of great tips and insights as you would expect from a book on communication. Goes way beyond how to communicate and into human behavior and how the mind works and why people respond the way they do.
4) “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini
– This book explores the principles of influence and persuasion, providing practical insights into how to persuade others effectively. It covers topics such as reciprocity, social proof, and authority, and provides examples of how these principles can be used in sales, marketing, and other contexts.
Review: Required reading for all marketing professionals. The book details the most common approaches to influencing the decisions of others, backed up by the authors time spent infiltrating direct marketing companies and the like. Offers handy hints on how to spot when you’re being manipulated and how to handle it.
5) “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change” by Stephen R. Covey
– This book outlines seven habits that can help individuals become more effective in their personal and professional lives, including effective communication. It emphasizes the importance of understanding others, listening actively, and seeking win-win solutions in building strong relationships.
Review: Before buying this book I read a number of “outstanding” and a few negative reviews. After reading the book I wouldn’t agree with negative reviews but I won’t call this book outstanding. I would call it “a book with a number of good strategies/advises to follow”.
6) “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
– This classic book provides timeless advice on building strong relationships and influencing others. It covers topics such as listening actively, showing appreciation, and communicating clearly, providing practical tips and strategies for building strong relationships in both personal and professional settings.
Review: This book dives deep into how common courtesies produce exceptional results when dealing with others in just about any situation be it with bosses, customers, or leading others. This book has its place in today’s world.
7) “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
– This classic guide to writing provides clear and concise advice on grammar, punctuation, and style. It is a must-read for anyone looking to improve their writing skills, whether for professional or personal purposes.
Review: A good reference book to keep referring to, for using the language in a clear and precise way. The good part is that it does not read like a rule book; the language is conversational and easy to grasp.
8) “Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It” by Chris Voss
– Another brilliant professional communication book that offers practical advice on negotiating effectively in high-stakes situations. It covers topics such as active listening, empathy, and effective communication, providing practical tips and strategies for negotiating in a range of contexts.
Review: The book has given insight into how to keep calm, negotiate and keep your emotions in check while doing that. The best part is comparing it with his experience in the field and how the tactics worked for him. Would like to recommend it to any person who loses that 5 bucks in the negotiating market. Thank me later.
9) “Crucial Accountability: Tools for Resolving Violated Expectations, Broken Commitments, and Bad Behavior” by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler
– This book provides practical tools for holding others accountable in the workplace. It covers topics such as setting expectations, addressing broken commitments, managing difficult conversations, providing practical advice for building stronger relationships and improving accountability in the workplace.
Review: If you find yourself in a situation where you have to call someone on their failure this book provides a path to do so while avoiding the common pitfalls that lead to problems. The solutions provided would work equally well for supervisors and subordinates in a business environment and some of the tools would also help with personal relationships.
10) “Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most” by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen
– An insightful corporate communication book that offers practical advice on having difficult conversations in a range of contexts. It covers topics such as managing emotions, understanding others’ perspectives, and resolving conflicts, providing practical tools and strategies for navigating complex conversations effectively.
Review: This book helps you to gain an understanding of the best approach to take when facing a conversation that has a high risk of going badly. I used the principles that I had learned within it to advise one of my team members when she had a falling out with a colleague and needed to talk to him about it. It really helped to diffuse a bad situation and lead to a great improvement in their working relationship.
11) “The Communication Book: 44 Ideas for Better Conversations Every Day” by Mikael Krogerus and Roman Tschäppeler.
-This book offers 44 short, practical tips for improving communication skills in a variety of contexts, such as networking, public speaking, and social media. Each idea is presented in a visually engaging format, with illustrations and diagrams to aid understanding.
Review: “This book is a great resource for anyone who wants to improve their communication skills but doesn’t have a lot of time to read a lengthy book. The ideas are easy to digest and implement, and the illustrations make it fun to read.”
Rating: 4.3/5
12) “The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life” by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander
– This book explores the power of possibility thinking in transforming personal and professional relationships. It covers topics such as developing a positive mindset, seeing opportunities in challenges, and using creativity to build stronger connections with others.
It is also one of the top communication skill books as it provides practical insights and strategies for achieving personal and professional success through effective communication and relationship-building skills.
Review: This book gives me a positive mind and the way I should think to change from impossible to possible. highly recommended.
13) “Storytelling with Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals” by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic
– This book provides practical guidance on using data effectively to tell compelling stories. It covers topics such as data visualization, storytelling techniques, and effective communication, providing practical tools and strategies for communicating data in a range of contexts.
Review: Good on fundamentals of storytelling in a business context; would especially recommend for people with a finance background who would like to improve on their storytelling skills
14) “Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln: 21 Powerful Secrets of History’s Greatest Speakers” by James C. Humes
– This book offers practical insights into the techniques used by history’s greatest speakers. It covers topics such as using humor, crafting compelling messages, and connecting with audiences, providing practical tips and strategies for improving public speaking and communication skills.
Review: There are so many gems in this book, for new and seasoned speakers alike. If you’re looking for practical advice that you can implement to improve your public speaking, this is a terrific resource.
15) “Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t” by Simon Sinek
– This book explores the importance of trust, communication, and leadership in building strong teams. It covers topics such as creating a culture of trust, communicating effectively, and developing strong leaders, providing practical insights and strategies for building stronger teams in the workplace.
Review: There are so many gems in this book, for new and seasoned speakers alike. If you’re looking for practical advice that you can implement to improve your public speaking, this is a terrific resource.
Business communication books for MBA and BBA
Top Business communication books that are specifically geared toward MBA and BBA students:
1) “Business Communication Today” by Courtland L. Bovee and John V. Thill
– This textbook is widely used in business communication courses and provides a comprehensive overview of the field. It covers topics such as interpersonal communication, group communication, public speaking, and digital communication, with practical examples and exercises to help students develop their communication skills.
Additionally, these resources are specifically geared toward MBA students, offering tailored insights and strategies to excel in business communication within diverse organizational contexts.
2) “Essentials of Business Communication” by Mary Ellen Guffey and Dana Loewy
– This textbook provides a practical and concise overview of business communication concepts, and strategies. It covers topics such as writing effective emails, memos, and reports, delivering effective presentations, and communicating in diverse settings, with real-world examples and case studies to help students apply the concepts they learn.
3) “Business Communication: Process and Product” by Mary Ellen Guffey and Dana Loewy
– This textbook focuses on the communication process in business settings and provides practical strategies for effective communication.
It covers topics such as audience analysis, message design, and feedback, with examples and exercises to help students apply the concepts they learn.
4) “Business and Professional Communication: Plans, Processes, and Performance” by James R. DiSanza and Nancy J. Legge
– This textbook provides a comprehensive overview of business and professional communication, with a focus on developing effective communication plans and strategies.
It covers topics such as listening, nonverbal communication, conflict management, and crisis communication, with real-world examples and case studies to help students apply the concepts they learn.
5) “Effective Business Communication” by Herta A. Murphy, Herbert W. Hildebrandt, and Jane P. Thomas
– This classic textbook has been used for decades in business communication courses and provides a practical overview of effective communication strategies.
It covers topics such as writing clear and concise messages, developing effective presentations, and using technology for communication, with real-world examples and exercises to help students improve their communication skills.
6) “Business Communication Essentials” by Courtland L. Bovee and John V. Thill
– This textbook is designed to provide an introduction to business communication for BBA students. It covers topics such as interpersonal communication, workplace communication, and digital communication, with practical examples and exercises to help students develop their communication skills.
In summary, these books on business communication will provide a range of practical tools and strategies for effective communication in workplace settings. Whether you are an MBA or BBA student, these books can help you develop the communication skills you need to succeed in the workplace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What are business communication books?
Ans: Business communication books are valuable resources for professionals looking to improve their communication skills and achieve the objectives of business communication. These books provide insights, strategies, and practical tools for effective communication in a variety of professional settings.
Q2: What are the 7 principles of business communication?
Ans: The 7 principles of business communication are clarity, completeness, conciseness, consideration, concreteness, courtesy, and correctness. These basic principles of communication in business serve as a guide for effective communication in professional settings and help ensure that messages are clear, concise, and respectful.
Q3: What are business communication skills?
Ans: Business communication skills refer to the abilities needed to effectively communicate in professional settings. Such skills comprise written and verbal communication, active listening, interpersonal communication, public speaking, and digital communication.
Q4: What are the 4 basics of business communication?
Ans: The 4 basics of business communication are clarity, conciseness, completeness, and correctness. These basics are essential for effective communication in professional settings and help ensure that messages are clear, concise, accurate, and appropriate for the audience and context.
