7 C’s of Effective Communication

Today effective communication and communication gap is one of the major challenges every business is facing and things become worse if the team is distributed across the globe. This rise the scope of good technical communication and business communication.

Come let us see the importance and how we can improvise it in detail in this blog post unraveling secrets of good communication for effective communication. Listening is the first step toward effective communication.

It is also the best way to avoid problems and complications before it could arise. But one thing that we need to take care of is that this communication should be perfect in all aspects.

Perfectness in communication comes when we follow the principles of communications and are also aware of the types of communications and the protocols tagged to it.

In communication, not only the literal meaning but the hidden meaning is also involved which should be conveyed as well as should be understood clearly. In a communication one is the listener and the other one is the speaker. If both are best in their communication there is no chance for any discrepancy to creep in the message and distort its meaning.

In psychology classes, an activity is done wherein a message is conveyed to a student and it is let pass through all the students by one by one communication.

 

It has been found that the last person when reads out the message, it’s completely different. It is just because of the lack of good communication, which leads to the encryption of the message.

 

Types of Communication

Now, let’s decode the magic aphorism for better communication. First, we need to know the three types of communication.

• Verbal
• Written
• Non-verbal

 

 

Verbal Communication

It is the oral communication that involves speaking to somebody directly face to face or on phone. This communication can be one to one and one to too many also. Storytelling is also a verbal communication.

In a verbal communication, it is necessary to mind few things before, to convey the right message in undiluted form to the listener in a way that they receive it in the purest form and senses. The things needed to be kept in mind is:

• Planning

Plan the execution of your communication that is knowing your audience, estimation of time, clarity on topic and other factors. You can read more about planning on this blog post.

• Pronunciation

A clear pronunciation is necessary to reach the audience and not leaving them guessing your words. Bad pronunciation can reduce the interest of the audience. When you are in a meeting where participants are sitting in different part of the globe try to speak in correct pace and pronunciation.

• Precision

Accuracy and exactness in your topic can hold the audience, try not to be verbose and let your listener get bored. A big lecture deviates from the mind of the audience and they lose the interest. Be precise and take little time yet conveying the message completely.

• Put Straight

Arrange and organise your message in a proper flow. Convey it step by step. Jumping from one step to another could hamper your message and miscommunication or confusion would ruin the whole motive.

• Politeness

Politeness creates a good impression and lets the audience take interest in you and more focused on what you say. Aggression can divert the attention of the audience.

 

Written Communication

It is the way of communication that involves written messages such as e-mails, memos, proposals, manuals, instructions manual etc.

It can also be one to one or one to many. Written communication does not happen in the real time, but it is easy to write clearly if we learn how to write effectively.

Concise and accurate writing is best and is entertained more seriously. No one bothers to read a long note, it only gets a scanning eye.

Consider a few tips for writing and you will optimize your effort.

 

• Write simple and short sentences.
• Avoid Jargons
• Say no to redundancy
• Explain in steps
• Proofread before sending
• Increase the readability.
• Highlight the important points.

 

Non-Verbal Communication

In this communication words are not involved, either way, be it be writing or speech.

It is the tone of voice, facial expression, kinetics that convey the untold messages.

In fact, nonverbal communication can be understood easily.

An emphasis on a particular word in a sentence can change the whole meaning. The frequency and sharpness of voice tell about our mood and emotions.

 

For example:

“May I do this for you?”

The message conveyed is that you might have more options to take help but let me do it.

“May I do this for you?”

Here I am seeking permission to help you.

Nonverbal communication can be done through

 

• Facial expression
• Touch
• Body language
• Tone of voice
• Eye contact
• Voice modulation

Now, that we are aware of the types of communication let’s move towards the principle that makes all these types of communication more effective.

 

 Principles of Communication

For an effective communication 7C’s of communication must be adopted.

These are:

 

Completeness:

For an effective communication, it is very necessary to convey the complete message. Your message should be based on facts and according to your listener or audience’s perception. Provide additional message wherever needed.

Never leave any room for further clarity after the message is conveyed, to avoid additional cost.

Make your message complete and filled with all the vital elements and information to make it crystal clear. An incomplete message can create confusion or can be distorted by the audience’s own assumption in case of ambiguity.

In addition to this completeness of message helps build a good reputation and adds worth to your message that is the key factor to hold on the audience.

Concreteness:

Being specific and clear, supported by facts is what a concrete message is all about.

Concreteness does not let the message to be misinterpreted. It prevents confusion and strengthens the message and generates confidence in the speaker.

A message conveyed confidently attracts audience attention. It displays a clear picture before the audience.

Conciseness:

Keep your message short and simple. Different statements can confuse the listener.

Nobody wants illustrations in seven sentences when they understood it in three sentences.

Verbose messages can bore the audience.

Long e-mails or long speeches never grab the attention. Keep your message brief but full of facts.

The systematically illustrated message is easier to understand and conciseness help hold the attention throughout the message.

Courtesy:

Politeness costs nothing but adds value to your message and compels the audience to listen to you, as they are moved by the demeanor. It implies all the three types of communication.

One’s viewpoint and feeling both are conveyed through a courteous gesture. A courteous message spreads positivity and lets the audience connect and believe that the speaker is focused and has respect for the receiver. It also helps build a reputation, goodwill, and interest.

Clarity:

It is one of the vital principles that cannot be avoided in any type of communication. Clarity should be on the speaker’s side about the purpose of communication, the topic of communication, and the type of audience he is going to face.

Clarity in thoughts and ideas is a must to convey and ensure that the message is received as conveyed, without any adulteration.

Several ideas in one message can confuse the receiver, try to emphasize and hold on to the particular point you want to convey with supporting facts.

Do not leave space for assumptions to creep in from the receiver’s end. Clear messages are easy to understand and perceive.

Consideration:

Empathize with your audience to reach them.

Be intelligent enough to consider the mindset, background, viewpoint, educational level of the audience.

Knowing your audience helps to reframe your language, tone, according to them for a better communication.

Engaging your audience in the conversation helps them to connect easily and they get to understand the message more clearly.

Avoid saying things that can irk the audience not in the examples too. Choose the right words for your presentation and consider the audience general behavior.

Correctness:

Correctness doesn’t limit to the correctness of the message, it is more than that. The grammar should be perfect for the clear communication.

The facts and figures given in the message should also be correct and verifiable. The time should also be appropriate for a better impact on the receiver.

The correct message has a great impact on the receiver and boosts the confidence of the speaker. It builds credibility and reputation.

 

Apart from the knowledge of types and principles of communication one thing to be taken into consideration for a perfect communication is the five W’s before even communicating the message. These are

• Whom
• What
• Where
• When
• Why

Whom do you want to convey?

What do you want to convey?

Where do you want to convey?

When do you want to convey?

Why do you want to convey?

Ask these questions to yourself before beginning a conversation and you will sound clearer, more relevant, and more trustworthy and it will help you well apprehended by your audience.

 

 Conclusion:

The master solution to every problem is open, transparent, timely, and effective communication through proper channel.

I will like to know your view. Please post it in the comment section.

If you are interested to learn more about technical writing consider reading our guide.