Communication and Good Example
The 7 Cs of Communication
Think of how often you communicate with people during your day. You write emails, facilitate meetings, participate in conference calls, create reports, devise presentations, debate with your colleagues… the list goes on.
We can spend almost our entire day communicating. So, how can we provide a huge boost to our productivity? We can make sure that we communicate in the clearest, most effective way possible.
This is why the 7 Cs of Communication are helpful. The 7 Cs provide a checklist for making sure that your meetings, emails, conference calls, reports, and presentations are well constructed and clear – so your audience gets your message.
According to the 7 Cs, communication needs to be:
* Clear. * Concise. * Concrete. * Correct. * Coherent. * Complete. * Courteous.
In this article, we look at each of the 7 Cs of Communication, and we'll illustrate each element with both good and bad examples.
1. Clear
When writing or speaking to someone, be clear about your goal or message. What is your purpose in communicating with this person? If you're not sure, then your audience won't be sure either.
To be clear, try to minimize the number of ideas in each sentence. Make sure that it's easy for your reader to understand your meaning. People shouldn't have to "read between the lines" and make assumptions on their own to understand what you're trying to say.
Bad Example
Hi Ravi,
I wanted to write you a quick note about Manav , who's working in your department. He's a great asset, and I'd like to talk to you more about him when you have time.
Best,
Sahil
What is this email about? Well, we're not sure. First, if there are multiple Manavs in Ravi’s department, Ravi won't know who Sahil is talking about.
Next, what is Manav doing, specifically, that's so great? We don't know that either.
Last, what is the purpose of this email? Does Sahil simply wants to have an idle chat about Manav , or is
Think of how often you communicate with people during your day. You write emails, facilitate meetings, participate in conference calls, create reports, devise presentations, debate with your colleagues… the list goes on.
We can spend almost our entire day communicating. So, how can we provide a huge boost to our productivity? We can make sure that we communicate in the clearest, most effective way possible.
This is why the 7 Cs of Communication are helpful. The 7 Cs provide a checklist for making sure that your meetings, emails, conference calls, reports, and presentations are well constructed and clear – so your audience gets your message.
According to the 7 Cs, communication needs to be:
* Clear. * Concise. * Concrete. * Correct. * Coherent. * Complete. * Courteous.
In this article, we look at each of the 7 Cs of Communication, and we'll illustrate each element with both good and bad examples.
1. Clear
When writing or speaking to someone, be clear about your goal or message. What is your purpose in communicating with this person? If you're not sure, then your audience won't be sure either.
To be clear, try to minimize the number of ideas in each sentence. Make sure that it's easy for your reader to understand your meaning. People shouldn't have to "read between the lines" and make assumptions on their own to understand what you're trying to say.
Bad Example
Hi Ravi,
I wanted to write you a quick note about Manav , who's working in your department. He's a great asset, and I'd like to talk to you more about him when you have time.
Best,
Sahil
What is this email about? Well, we're not sure. First, if there are multiple Manavs in Ravi’s department, Ravi won't know who Sahil is talking about.
Next, what is Manav doing, specifically, that's so great? We don't know that either.
Last, what is the purpose of this email? Does Sahil simply wants to have an idle chat about Manav , or is