Written by Effective communication is essential in our daily interactions, whether it be personal or professional.
The way we communicate influences how we are perceived by others and how we achieve our goals.
To communicate effectively, you must consider the seven Cs of Effective Communication, which are coherence, clarity, correct, courtesy, concrete, concise, and complete.
In this post, we will discuss each of these Cs and how they contribute to effective communication.
Coherent
Coherence refers to the flow and structure of the message being communicated.
It means that the message should be logical and make sense to the receiver.
In other words, the sequence of ideas, information, or message should be structured in a way that flows naturally and is easy to understand.
Coherence communication helps to avoid any confusion or misunderstanding that may arise from an incoherent message.
Conciseness
Conciseness refers to the use of the fewest possible words to convey the message.
It means that the message should be brief, clear, and to the point.
Avoid long sentences and unnecessary details that may confuse or distract the receiver.
A concise message is easier to understand and remember, and it saves the recipient’s time and effort.
A concise message is more likely to be remembered by the receiver and is less likely to be misunderstood.
It is, therefore, necessary that communication is concise.
Correctness
Correctness refers to the accuracy and absence of errors in the message being communicated.
The sender should ensure that his message is accurate and free from any errors.
This means that the message should not contain any grammatical or spelling errors.
All facts and figures should be checked before communicating to avoid misinformation.
A correct message builds credibility and trust with the receiver. Hence, it is important that communication is correct.
Completeness
Completeness refers to the inclusion of all necessary information in the message.
It means providing all the relevant details, facts, and figures that the recipient needs to understand the message fully.
Every important detail should be included in the information, and the recipient should get all the information that he needs to understand the message being communicated by the sender.
Complete communication results in a proper understanding of the message. it also helps the recipient take appropriate action.
Courtesy
The fifth C of Effective Communication is courtesy.
Courtesy means that the message should be polite, friendly, respective, and courteous.
In short, it refers to the use of polite and respectful language when communicating.
It means being mindful of the recipient’s feelings and using language that is friendly and positive.
Courtesy in communication requires that the sender use polite and appropriate language when communicating.
It also requires the avoidance of any language that may be deemed offensive or inappropriate by the receiver or the sender.
The importance of courtesy in communication is that it help creates a positive environment for communication.
Courtesy also help to establish a good relationship between the sender and the receiver that is free from the use of inappropriate and offensive language.
Consideration
Consideration means that the sender takes the audience or recipients into consideration when sending the message.
It involves the sender considering the recipient’s feelings, needs, and perspectives when communicating.
Consideration also means being considerate about the receiver’s needs, interests, and perspectives.
It involves the sender being empathetic and thinking about how the recipient will perceive the message.
In considering how the receiver would perceive the message being communicated, the sender needs to know the level of knowledge, language, and culture of the receiver before sending a message.
By putting the receiver into consideration, the sender is able to better ensure that the message is received and understood appropriately.
If the communication is not considerate, then the receiver may not properly understand the message even though the message is clear and concise.
Therefore, effective communication requires that the sender takes the audience or recipients into consideration when sending the message.
Clarity
Every sender want their message to be well understood by the intending audience.
Hence, an effective communication should also be clear.
By clarity, we mean the sender should use clear and unambiguous language to convey the intended message.
The message should be easy to understand. The sender should use simple words, avoid jargon or technical terms, and be specific and precise in their message.
Clear communication helps to avoid any misunderstandings or confusion that may arise from vague or ambiguous messages.
In conclusion, the seven Cs are essential in ensuring that communication is effective.
By communicating our message clearly, completely, concisely, considerately, coherently courteously, and correctly, we can improve our communication skills and enhance our ability to achieve our goals.
