How to use the Seven C’s in Communication

The Seven C’s of Communication : Seven Components of Effective Communication

Effective communication is an important need of life. Whether in professional or personal life, a lot of your success depends on how effective you are at communicating your concerns. How effective you are at making your point, decides how well you will be able to persuade your audience. There are several components of communication that affect its effectiveness. These components are also known as Seven C’s. Whether you are a student, a teacher or a working professional, your communication decides so many things in your everyday life. You have to keep several important things in mind while drafting a mail to your supervisor or while writing an application to your professor. If you focus on these 7 C’s not only will your task become easier but your messages will carry more weight. Even in case of verbal communication, you must remain cautious about these things if you wish to be effective and persuasive.

Clear:

Clarity is the first important component of effective communication. Whatever you write or say try to express it clearly. It may require the use of simpler words and a suitable tone.  A clear message generates instant results. If your message is clear your audience will know which way it is expected to act. Moreover, if you do not wish to leave your audience in the dark, your message must be clear.  Do not leave your audience unclear about what it is expected to do. Like rather than saying:

Hi John,

Kindly mail me the files related to the new project. I wanted to have a quick look on the fresh outcomes.

Regards

You can write:

Hi John,

Kindly mail me the files related to the marketing budget of the new project.  Please also include the marketing expenses incurred over the last three months. Attach any extra information if necessary and let me know when we can discuss the budget related issues.

Regards

Completeness:

Completeness is just as necessary as clarity. It means you do not leave any loose threads hanging. Check the below message:

Hi John,

I hope you are aware of the financial difficulties our company is going through. It is important that we keep a note of our marketing budget and review the expenses regularly. Kindly mail me the files related to the marketing budget of the new project.  Please also include the marketing expenses incurred over last three months.

Attach any extra information if necessary and let me know when we can discuss the budget related issues.

Regards

Now, John knows well what he is being asked for and how he has to respond.

(The messages that are left incomplete fail to make the right impression. If you send a complete message, you ensure that you are able to illicit the kind of response you want of your audience.)

Concise:

While mailing your boss you would not like to draft a long mail that scores less and talks more. So try to tell more in less. Be as concise as possible. If you fear that your message can get longer than needed, draft an outline of the highlights before writing. Include only what is essential. Do not repeat or lengthen any points unnecessarily. Being concise requires one to limit his message to only the important points. Concise messages save time and efforts. One does not need to go through a long mail to understand the entire concern. Such messages carry weight and appeal in the eyes of the audience.

Correct:

Correctness is just as important in communication. Even if the tone of the message is not highly formal, it is important to remain correct. Grammatical or factual errors can ruin the beauty of your communication. Moreover, the messages that are full of grammatical errors are not taken very seriously. So, ensure to proofread your message before you hit the send button.

Coherent:

Coherence also decides the effectiveness of your message. Incoherent messages do not leave a good impression; call to action becomes improbable. Such messages generate confusion. So ensure that your points rhyme together and do not include several topics in the same message for the audience may get confused. You should not try to take your audience on a roller coaster. Plenty of ups and downs make the message inconsistent. Inconsistency will inspire confusion which will lead to errors.  

Courteous:

The tone of your message must be courteous to be considered friendly and accepted. It means your tone is not aggressive; it is respectful and polite. It does not mean insult and you have kept your audience’s concerns in mind. Messages that are polite and speak in the right tone are read and accepted easily. Such communication is more effective at persuasion.

Example:

Hi John,

I am glad to be writing about the success of our recent project. The contribution of your team in its completion is worth appreciation. The top management has lauded your efforts. They are considering a reward for you and your team for all you guys have done……

This message carries a positive tone and speaks in a manner that reflects positivity and thankfulness from the beginning to the end.   

Concrete:

Being concrete ensures that the message is not ignored or misinterpreted. Such messages are focused, to the point and rock solid. You support your message with the required facts and details but do not fill it with unnecessary information or data. Moreover, concrete messages are balanced. They do not lose touch of the main point or vary from the core focus.

These are the seven important components of effective communication or the 7 Cs without which communication cannot be effective. So when you are drafting your next written communication, ensure to check for these elements and if your message is properly written to make the right impression. These elements not just add appeal to your communication but are effective at generating results by making your message persuasive. persuasive messages are more effective at drawing out desired responses and action from the audience.