The Seven Cs of Communication

SEVEN C’S
OF EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
 Good communication skills are obviously a
very valuable employability characteristic.
The work environment responds positively to
effectively communicated ideas, knowledge
and company-related proposals. Especially in
this fast-paced era where technology has
made connecting people so much easier,
more is expected of employees.
 Job advertisements in print and online often
include good communication skills as
prominent parts of the job requirement.
 Not only is this important in business
leadership situations but good oral and/or
written communication skills are almost
always a prerequisite for job promotion
and career growth.
 Seven “Cs” are identified as qualities of
good communication.
 The following can even serve as an easy-
to-remember checklist you can refer to
before you deliver your message.
 According to the 7 C’s, communication needs
to be:
 Clarity (Clear)
 Conciseness (Concise)
 Concreteness (Concrete)
 Correctness (Correct)
 Coherence (Coherent)
 Completeness (Complete)
 Courtesy (Courteous)
 Consideration (Considerate)
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 it is easy for your
reader/audience 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.
Familiar words Pretentious words
 After subsequent
 Home domicile
 Pay remuneration
 Invoice statement of payment
Clarity makes comprehension easier.

 People should be able to understand the
purpose of your message quickly and easily.
 Here are some specific ways to help make
your messages clear:
1. Choose short, precise, concrete,
familiar, conversational words.
2. Construct effective sentences and
paragraphs.
3. Include examples, illustrations, and
other visual aids, when desirable.
2. Concise
 When you’re concise in your communication,

you stick and keep it brief. Your audience
doesn’t want to read six sentences when you
could communicate your message in three.
 Are there any adjectives or “filler-words”
that you can delete? You can often eliminate
words like “for instance”, “you see”,
“definitely”, “kind of”, “literally”, “basically”,
or “I mean”.
 Are there any unnecessary sentences?
 Have you repeated the point several times,
in different ways?
 Eliminate wordy expressions.
 Include only relevant material.
 Avoid unnecessary repetition.
Single words instead of long phrases.
For example:
 Due to the fact because
 In due course soon
 At this time now
 Few in number few
 On a weekly basis weekly
 In spite of the fact that… although
Conciseness saves time

Keep your message as short as possible.
3. Concrete
 Communicating concretely means being specific,
definite, rather than unclear and general. It
means your message is practical and useful. You
provide the right amount of detail, and stay
focused on your main message.
 When your message is concrete, then your
audience has a clear picture of what you’re
telling them. There are details (but not too
many!) and vivid facts, and there’s a laser-like
focus. Your message is solid.
 Use specific facts and figures.
 Put Action in your Verbs.
 Choose vivid, image-building words.
Some Vague Words
 Slightly
 small
 Soon
 A few
 Almost
 Several etc
Concreteness reinforces confidence.

4. Correct
 Your communication is free of errors and
mistakes. If it is written, make sure you
proofread it.
 When your communication is correct, it fits
your audience.
 Do the technical terms you use fit your
audience’s level of education or knowledge?
 Have you checked your writing for
grammatical errors? Remember spell
checkers won’t catch everything.
 Are all names and titles spelled correctly?
 Use the right level of language.
 Check accuracy of figures, facts and

words.
 Maintain acceptable writing mechanics.
Correctness in message helps in building

confidence.
5. Coherent
 When your communication is coherent,

it’s in a logical order.
 All points are connected and relevant to
the main topic, and the tone and flow of
the text is consistent and well
constructed.
6. Complete
 In a complete message, the audience

has everything they need to be
informed and if applicable, take action.
 Does your message include a “call to
action”, so that your audience clearly
knows what you want them to do?
 Have you included all relevant
information-contact names, dates,
times, locations, and so on?
 Provide all necessary information.
 Answer all questions asked.
 Give something extra when desirable.
 Focus on Five “W’s”.
Completeness brings desired response.
For Example, when factory supervisor instructs
workers to produce, he must specify the exact
size, shape, quality and cost of the product. Any
assumption behind the message should also be
clarified.
7. Courteous
 Courteous communication is friendly, open, and
honest, there are no hidden insults or passive-
aggressive tones. You keep your reader’s viewpoint
in mind, and you’re empathetic to their needs.
 Be Sincerely Tactful, Thoughtful and Appreciative.
 Use Expressions that Show Respect.
 Omit expressions that irritate, or hurt.
 Choose Non-discriminatory Expressions.
 Courteous message help to strengthen present
business friendships, as well as make new friends.
Courtesy strengthens relationship
Consideration
 Consideration underlies the other six C’s of
good business communication.
 You adapt your language and message content
to your receiver’s needs when you make your
message complete, concise, concrete, clear,
and correct.
 Consideration means that you prepare every
message with the audience in mind and try to
put yourself in his place.
 Try to visualize your readers(listeners) with
their desires.
 Then handle the matter from their point of
view.
 Focus on “you” attitude instead of “I” or “we”.
 Show reader/receiver benefit or interest in

reader/receiver.
 Emphasize positive, pleasant facts.
 Apply integrity and ethic.
Consideration helps in understanding human

nature.

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The Seven Cs of Communication

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SEVEN C’S

 When writing or speaking to someone, be clear

Clarity makes comprehension easier.

 When you’re concise in your communication,

Conciseness saves time

Concreteness reinforces confidence.

 Check accuracy of figures, facts and

Correctness in message helps in building

 When your communication is coherent,

 In a complete message, the audience

 Show reader/receiver benefit or interest in

 Apply integrity and ethic.

Consideration helps in understanding human

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