The 7 characteristics of effective communication

31/10/2013

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Communication can be defined as the combination of the processes we implement to share and
convey information. However, effective communication only happens if the sender (i.e. the
person prompting the communication process) is aware of specific elements which cater for an
effective transfer of the message to the recipient.

Over time, the term effective communication has often be misused as synonymous to
persuasive communication. Nevertheless, these two terms refer to different communication
objectives and shouldn't be confused.

In fact, persuasive communication aims at prompting a change in the recipient's behaviours and
values. Effective communication, on the other hand, is about delivering all the contents of the
message clearly and unambiguously, so that the recipient can evaluate and react to them
properly.

Today we're exploring the 7 characteristics of effective communication, as outlined by

University of Wisconsin professor Scott M. Cutlip in his book Effective Public Relations
(1953). Over time, his listing of features of effective communication has become one of the key
concepts in advertising and PR theories, and is now known as the 7 C's of communication.

#1 COMPLETENESS
To be effective, communication should be complete, i.e. it should include all the information the
recipient needs to evaluate its content, solve a problem or make a decision. Complete
communication reduces the need for follow-up questions and answers, and improves the quality
of the overall communication process.

#2 CONCISENESS
Conciseness is not about keeping the message short, but rather about keeping it to a point.
Conciseness in communication happens when the message does not include any redundant or
irrelevant information. Concise communication prompts a better understanding of the message,
because the recipient can focus on the key points and does not get distracted by a wealth of
minor details.

#3 CONSIDERATION
When engaging in communication, a sender should always consider and value the recipient's
needs, moods and points of view. Tailoring the contents and style of your messages based on
their target audience strengthens the key points delivered within, as the sender can use
argumentations and examples relevant to the recipient's experience, thus catering for a more
thorough understanding of the message.
#4 CONCRETENESS
Effective communication happens when the message is supported by facts and figures.
Concreteness in communication is also about answering to questions timely and consistently, and
developing your argumentations based on real-life examples and situations rather than on general
scenarios or theories. Concreteness fosters effectiveness in communication, as the recipient gets
a more comprehensive overview of the message and its implications.

#5 COURTESY
Courtesy in communication implies being respectful of the recipient's culture, values and beliefs.
Also, it involves the need to adopt a register your audience can easily relate to and understand.
Courteous communication has a positive impact on the overall communication, as it prompts a
more positive and constructive approach to the conversation.

#6 CLEARNESS
To be effective, communication has also to be clear and specific. To achieve clearness, the
message should focus on a single objective, thus emphasising its importance and catering for a
prompt understanding of its contents. Clear communication also requires the adoption of the
relevant terminology, thus reducing ambiguities and confusion in the communication process.

#7 CORRECTNESS
Using grammar and syntax correctly vouches for increased effectiveness and credibility of the
message. In fact, grammar and syntax mistakes make it harder for the recipient to decode the
message and understand its contents. Also, they have a negative impact on the overall
communication, as they show that the sender hasn't taken his time to craft his messages more
carefully.

Your ideas
What are your biggest challenges in communicating effectively with your audience?
Are there any tools you use to make sure your messages are crafted properly?

7 C’s of Effective Communication

This article explains practically the 7 C’s of Effective Communication. After reading you will
understand the basics of this powerful communication skills tool.

7 C’s of Effective Communication

We communicate all day long; at home, at work, with our next-door neighbour and at the sports
club. We communicate verbally, non-verbally and in writing. Unfortunately, the message does
not always come across as intended. NOISE! This can lead to miscommunication and (small)
misunderstanding or the wrong impression.
The 7 C’s of effective communication, also known as the seven principles of communication
are a useful way to ensure good and business communication. The 7 C’s of Effective
Communication provide a useful check list as a result of which both written and verbal
communication pass off in a clear, plain, target group-oriented and well-structured manner.

Completeness

The message must be complete and geared to the receiver’s perception of the world. The
message must be based on facts and a complex message needs additional information and/ or
explanation. A good subdivision of subjects will clarify the message as a result of which there
will be a complete overview of what is said.

Concreteness

Concrete business communication is also about a clear message. This is often supported by
factual material such as research data and figures. The words used as well as the sentence
structure can be interpreted uni-vocally. Nothing is left to the imagination.

Courtesy

In addition to considering the feelings and points of view of the target group, it is also important
to approach the audience in a friendly and courteous manner. Use of terms that show respect for
the receiver contribute towards effective communication. The same goes for the manner in which
you address someone. Not everyone will be charmed if you use a familiar form of address and
use of a formal address could come across as too distant. By using the word ‘they’ a larger
audience is immediately addressed.

Correctness

A correct use of language has the preference. In written business communication, grammatical
errors must be avoided and stylistic lapses or a wrong use of verbs are not sufficient either in
verbal communication. A correct use of language increases trustworthiness and the receiver will
feel that they are taken seriously.

Clarity

Clear or plain language is characterized by explicitness, short sentences and concrete words.
Fuzzy language is absolutely forbidden, as are formal language and cliché expressions. By
avoiding parentheses and keeping to the point, the receiver will get a clear picture of the content
of the message. Briefly-worded information emphasizes the essence of the message.

Consideration

Communicating with the target group (Consideration). In order to communicate well, it is

important to relate to the target group and be involved. By taking the audience into account, the
message can be geared towards them. Factors that play a role in this are for example:
professional knowledge, level of education, age and interests.

Conciseness

A message is clear when the storyline is consistent and when this does not contain any
inconsistencies. When facts are mentioned, it is important that there is consistent, supporting
information. Systematically implementing a certain statement or notation also contributes to
clear business communication. When statements are varied, they will confuse the receiver.

Variations throughout the years

The 7 C’s of Effective Communication have two more variations that are often overlooked,
namely Creativity and Credibility.

Creativity

A text will only be lively when the words and sentence structures are used creatively and when
short sentences are alternated with longer sentences. Creativity is especially important in texts in
which search words are used, it is essential that the search words are constantly used in a
different setting.

Credibility

By creating an atmosphere of trust in a conversation or text, you add credibility to the message.
This can be achieved by a clear and striking ‘tone’, which indicates that the information you are
discussing contains the right information.

It’s Your Turn

What do you think? Are the 7 C’s of Effective Communication applicable for you in today’s
modern economy? Do you recognize the practical explanation above or do you have more
suggestions? What are your success factors for using the 7 C’s of Effective Communication?

Share your experience and knowledge in the comments box below.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our Free Newsletter for the latest posts on
Management models and methods. You can also find us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+.
More information

1. Aggarwal, Vir Bala and V. S. Gupta (2001). Handbook of Journalism and Mass
Communication. Concept Publishing Company
2. Murphy, H.A. et al., (2000). Effective Business Communication. McGraw-Hill.
3. Scott M. Cutlip, Allen H. Center (1952). Effective public relations: pathways to public
favor. Prentice-Hall.

7 Rules of Effective Communication with Examples

Posted by Arvind Rongala, Head, Global Training Delivery, Invensis Learning On July 13, 2015 0
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A study conducted by McKinsey Global Institute and International Data Corporation reveals that
employees spend close to 30% of their time on emails. Beyond that, meetings, conference calls,
presentations, report writing and several other activities at the workplace involve communicating
with peers, superiors and other colleagues.

To ensure that you communicate in the most efficient and engaging manner possible and thereby
enhance your productivity at work, your communication needs to follow the 7Cs: Clear, Correct,
Complete, Concise, Concrete, Coherent, Courteous.

7Cs of Effective Communication

1. Clear:

Any message needs to come out clearly from your communication rather than the
recipient having to assume things and coming back to you for more information. This
will only lead to more time being wasted on emails.

Do not try to communicate too many things in one message. This will dilute the attention
of the reader. For an example of poor communicating skills, look at this email below.

Bad example:

Dear James,
I would like to talk to you about the new client’s project which the engineering team had
discussed yesterday. I might need the help of John from your team.

Regards,
Kevin

There are innumerable things that are wrong in this email. James might not even know who the
new client is or what the project is about. He probably was not part of the meeting with the
engineering team. Furthermore, there might be more than one John in James’ big team. Kevin
also mentions that he wants to talk. However, he hasn’t mentioned what time he would like to
talk, neither has he asked James if he would be free at any of the time slots available.

Here’s how this email could be made clearer.

  Good example:

Dear James,

As you may know we have signed up XYZ as our new client. I had a meeting with the
engineering team yesterday and had discussed the campaign requirements for this project. John
Redden from your team had done a pretty good job last time doing the social media campaign for
ABC and so I would like him to work on the XYZ campaign too. Would you be available
sometime tomorrow to discuss this further?

Regards
Kevin

This email has all the information James needs to know. He can be well prepared for the meeting
and also check on John’s availability and have an answer for Kevin when they meet the next day
– in whichever time slot both the men are free.

2. Correct:

When too many emails are being written in a day, people tend to type fast and therefore
might make spelling mistakes. Spell check will not be able to catch it if the wrongly spelt
word is in fact another word in the English language. You also need to ensure that you
address people the right way and spell their names correctly. Additionally, you need to
ensure that the reader has sufficient knowledge and education to understand the technical
terms that you use in your communication.

   Bad example

     Dear David,

Further to our conservation today, I am attaching the plan for the first stage of the project. Hope
the one weak deadline is okay with you and your team.

Regards
Sally

There were two glaring spelling errors in this e-mail. ‘Conversation’ was spelt ‘conservation’
and ‘week’ was spelt ‘weak’. Though these are minor errors, they could gravely impact the
credibility of your professionalism and the brand image of the organization you represent.
Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to check all your spellings and prefixes before you send an
email, especially if you are sending it to a client or a vendor outside of your company.

3. Complete:

A complete message will have all the information the reader needs to know to be able to
respond or take action. If you require the reader to take some kind of action, ensure that
you have a ‘call-to-action’ in your email and also communicate the urgency of the task in
 question. Incomplete messages lead to iterations, a lot of back-and-forth, and waste of
time and effort on both ends. Here is an example of an incomplete message.

Bad example:

Hi all,

Let us meet tomorrow to discuss the product launch event. Please be there on time.

Thanks
Chris

There is no mention of the time of the meeting scheduled for, or the location, neither is there any
set agenda. The recipients of the email would have to write back or call back to Chris to clarify.

Good example:

The best way to have written this email is:

Hi all,

Let us meet tomorrow at 11am at Conference room 3 to discuss the product launch event. We
will have to decide the keynote speakers and complete the event invite draft tomorrow. Please be
there on time.

Thanks
Chris

4. Concise:

People more often than not tend to write 4 sentences in a place where they could have
finished the message in 2 sentences. This wastes the time of the sender and the receiver
and in turn limits their productivity too. Furthermore, try not to add fillers such as ‘I
mean’, ‘sort of’, ‘for instance’, ‘basically’, etc. Your message needs to be accurate, to the
point and crisp. Here is an example of a bad email.

Bad example:

Hi Suzanne

I think we need to talk about the CSR campaign, I mean the one which we need to do as a
quarterly exercise. I think it is a great way of enhancing our brand image. Basically, it would just
be a visit to an orphanage but we can sort of do other things too. For instance, we could take the
kids out for a short trip to a nearby park or zoo. Let us sit and talk tomorrow.

Regards
Jennifer

The mail is full of fillers and extended phrases wherein she could have finished the email in just
two sentences, such as the one below.

Good example:

Hi Suzanne

I need to discuss the quarterly CSR campaign with you. Let us take the kids out this time to a
nearby park or zoo instead of just visiting them. This will help enhance our brand image. We’ll
talk in detail tomorrow.

Regards
Jennifer
 5. Concrete:

You need to believe in you what you want to convey to the audience. Concreteness is a
quality which needs to come to the fore especially during marketing or advertising
campaigns. There need to be details that capture the attention of the audience, not bore
them.

Bad example:

“Hilltop Resort is the best resort. Do come to us on your next holiday”

This is a vague ad message. It is made to sound like just another resort advertisement among a
hundred others. The audience will never remember this ad message. There are no concrete details
to take away from this message.

Good example:

“Hilltop Resort is the jewel of the western hills. Take a break from your work. Escape from life’s
chaos and stress. Relax and rejuvenate yourself at Hilltop. Go back fresh and energized!”

This message gives you visualizing details. The reader can actually imagine being in a beautiful
resort breathing fresh air and swimming in a pool instead of slogging away at his or her office.
That is a concrete message conveyed to the audience.

6. Coherent:

Your message needs to have a logical flow. All sentences in your email or report should
be connected to the previous one and stick to the main topic. Without coherence, the
reader will easily lose track of what you have conveyed.

Bad example:

Dear Nam,

Thanks for submitting the industry report. Finn will give you some feedback on it. Finn also
wanted to find out if you will be available for the client meeting tomorrow. We will be
discussing the budget for the next phase of the project.

Regards
Shirley

The email was supposed to be about the industry report which was submitted and the feedback
for it. The question about the meeting had come out of nowhere and will now distract Nam and
her priorities.

Good example:

Dear Nam,

Thanks for submitting the industry report. Finn will give you some feedback on it. You will be
receiving an email from him with detailed comments.

Regards
Shirley

This email talks only about the report. Therefore, Nam knows that her report has been viewed
and she needs to wait for feedback. There are no other distractions. The query about the meeting
must have been an entirely different email.

7. Courteous:
 Being courteous is of profound importance in a corporate setting. Individuals who work
together are not necessarily friends and therefore, to maintain a healthy working
relationship, being courteous is a necessity. Hidden insults and aggressive tones will only
cause trouble among individuals and result in reduced morale and productivity.

Bad example:

Hi Drew,

I really do not appreciate how your IT team ignores the requests of my team alone. My team is
an important function in this organization too and we have our own IT requirement. Can you
ensure that your team responds promptly to my team’s requests hereon?

Regards
Stanley

This email is condescending, judgmental and disrespectful. Drew might now order his team to
not respond to your team’s requirements entirely.

Try this instead:

     Good example:

Hi Drew,

I understand that the IT team is swamped with work and gets requests from every department in
the organization. My team however is working on a high-priority project and I would greatly
appreciate if you could ask your team members to respond to my team’s queries promptly and
help us complete this project on time. Please do let me know if you need anything from me.

Regards
Stanley

As a result of the polite request, it is likely that Drew will feel appreciated and important and he
will definitely ask his team to help your team out. Work gets done and everybody is happy too.

To sum up, working with other individuals, be it within your team or other teams in the
organization is the norm in today’s corporate setting. Therefore, communication becomes a
critical skill. When you communicate well, you become more efficient, you tend to command
respect among your peers and you maintain a healthy relationship with your colleagues. Keep in
mind the 7 Cs of effective communication and accelerate your career growth.

7 C’s of Effective Communication

By Odell
 Posted 11/1/2016
 In Blog
1
0

7 C’s of Effective Communication

Effective communication is essential in every aspect of our life, whether it be at home, at work
or with our friends. A person who can communicate effectively will always have the advantage
when dealing with people. Fortunately there is a guideline that one can follow to implement the
habit of effective communication. The 7 C’s of communication are 7 attributes that you need to
keep in mind while communicating your message.

The 7C’s of communication are as follows:

 Clear
  Concise
 Concrete
 Correct
 Consideration
 Complete
 Courteous

Let us take a look at each attribute in detail with examples for implementation

1.) Clear

Convey your message in an easy to understand manner. Use short simple sentences while
speaking or writing. The aim is to share your thoughts and ideas with utmost clarity. Clear
messages consist of exact and concrete words.

Bad Example

Hi Pete,

I would like to schedule a meeting with you in regards to yesterday’s conversation. The topics
you covered were great, and I’d like to speak about it in detail. Please let me know when you
would like to have this meet.

Regards,

Chris

In the above example, we do not know which conversation Chris is referring to. If Chris had met
Pete on multiple occasions that day then he wouldn’t know what Chris is actually talking about.

Good Example

Hi Pete,

I would like to schedule a meeting with you in regards to your presentation on email marketing.
The topics you covered were great, and I would like to discuss implementation on our current
clients. Please let me know when you have the time so that we can discuss it in detail.

Regards

Chris

In this example, the reader knows exactly what is expected of him because the message is clear.

2.) Concise

Concise means to be to the point without using a lot of words. Avoid using filler words like “you
see”, “at this point of time”, “a lot of sense”, “kind of”, “what I mean”, “sort of”. You need to
ask yourself if there are any unnecessary sentences and if you have written the same points
multiple times. Being concise saves the time of both you and your reader and adds value to your
message.

Bad Example

Dear Bharat,

I wanted to talk about the video editing ideas we sort of planned out the other day. Don’t you
think it would make a lot of sense to also add additional elements to the videos? I mean, I think
that would sort of improve the quality of the videos as well as have a stronger impact on the
client’s message.
For instance, we could add a dissolve transition on each movie, which would then give it a
seamless flow. This would then make the video cleaner and be more appealing in the minds of
the people. The impact would just be a lot greater. This makes a lot more sense according to me.

What do you think?

Regards

Aaron

There is a lot of repetition in this email and it is quite long. The email can be made shorter and to
the point.

Good Example

Dear Bharat,

I wanted to discuss the video editing ideas we planned out yesterday. It would be better to add
additional elements to the video in order to have a stronger impact on the client’s message.

A dissolve transition would give a seamless flow to each movie and make the videos cleaner and
appealing in the minds of the target audience.

What do you think?

Regards

Aaron

3.) Concrete

Concrete messages are clear and usually supported with facts. It gives a laser focus touch to your
messages without being vague. There are details in the message without it being too long. A
concrete message is solid and specific.

Bad Example

Save time with the Indicator Master everyday

This kind of tag line does not give the user any details. There are no facts and it’s vague. People
might not download this application since it’s not concrete enough to entice the user.

Good Example

Have you ever been late for a meeting just because you didn’t know the train schedule? Hate
waiting for a bus because you don’t know its timings? Then download the Indicator Master app.
It will give you all the train and bus schedules so that you can avoid delays and save time!

4.) Correct

Make sure all your facts and figures are accurate with the no grammatical errors. Always proof
read your work before presenting it. A correct message with viable facts will add credibility to
your work.

Bad Example

Hi Sam,

It was wonderful meeting you last weak. I had a good time. I’m sure we will be able to do some
great work on this project. Let me know weather you need any supplies from the company and
I’ll get it delivered as soon as possible.
Thanks again, speak to you soon!

Regards

Desmond

If you noticed in the above email, there are two errors. The first one is the writer has spelled
week incorrectly and the second is the use of the word weather instead of whether. Spell
checkers don’t always work so make sure you proof read everything.

5.) Consideration

Consideration is simply keeping in mind the audiences requirements and views while
formulating your message. Follow the ‘You’ approach when dealing with your audience.
Consider their level of education, interests, mindsets, etc. Emphasize on what is possible rather
then what’s not when dealing with them. This will result in positive outcomes during your
interactions

6.) Complete

A complete message gives the user all the information and is clear and detailed. When your
message is complete, your audience knows exactly what needs to be done. Make sure all the
facts you want to convey in your message are accurate and there is a clear call to action present
in your message.

Bad Example

Hi Guys,

Please make sure to carry all the items tomorrow for the meeting.

Regards

Amar

The message is clearly incomplete. There are no details as to what items, which meeting and at
what time.

Good Example

Hi Guys,

Just a reminder that we have a meeting scheduled at 10.00 am tomorrow to discuss the Britannia
event. Please make sure you get all the event props that need to be presented to the client.

Regards

Amar

7.) Courteous

Being courteous is the most important attribute of communication. Always be friendly and
honest. Respect the speaker while you communicate. Even if you have some feedback that needs
to be pointed out, it can be conveyed in a constructive manner. A courteous message will leave
the speaker in a positive mindset rather than negative.

Bad Example

Dear Suzie,

I have noticed that there are always delays in the orders. You need to focus on the orders
department as a priority. Please get all the orders cleared ASAP!
Regards

Greg

There is a very good chance that the reader will get angry if they receive a message like this. It
might result in creating a toxic environment rather than solving any issues. Here is another way
you can convey the same message:

Good Example

Dear Suzie,

Thank you for your work on the book fair. I have noticed that there are orders pending which
need to be cleared on priority. I would appreciate it if you could focus on getting these cleared so
that we can avoid any delays to the customer.

Thanks a lot, and please let me know if you have any questions regarding the same.

Best,

Greg

Now you can see that the same message has been conveyed in a constructive and positive
manner. The reader would be more likely to respond positively in this case rather than react.

Conclusion

The way we communicate is a huge factor on how successful we are in life. If we communicate
effectively, it gives us more credibility in our jobs as well as personal life.

Using the 7 C’s of communication, that is when you’re clear, concise, concrete, correct,
consider the speaker, complete and courteous, with your message, you will become an
effective communicator and find more success in your interactions with people.

Seven C’s of Effective Communication

There are 7 C’s of effective communication which are applicable to both written as well as oral
communication. These are as follows:

1. Completeness - The communication must be complete. It should convey all facts required by the
audience. The sender of the message must take into consideration the receiver’s mind set and
convey the message accordingly. A complete communication has following features:
 Complete communication develops and enhances reputation of an organization.
 Moreover, they are cost saving as no crucial information is missing and no additional
cost is incurred in conveying extra message if the communication is complete.
 A complete communication always gives additional information wherever required. It
leaves no questions in the mind of receiver.
 Complete communication helps in better decision-making by the
audience/readers/receivers of message as they get all desired and crucial information.
 It persuades the audience.
2. Conciseness - Conciseness means wordiness, i.e, communicating what you want to convey in
least possible words without forgoing the other C’s of communication. Conciseness is a necessity
for effective communication. Concise communication has following features:
 It is both time-saving as well as cost-saving.
 It underlines and highlights the main message as it avoids using excessive and needless
words.
 Concise communication provides short and essential message in limited words to the
audience.
 Concise message is more appealing and comprehensible to the audience.
 Concise message is non-repetitive in nature.
3. Consideration - Consideration implies “stepping into the shoes of others”. Effective
communication must take the audience into consideration, i.e, the audience’s view points,
 background, mind-set, education level, etc. Make an attempt to envisage your audience, their
requirements, emotions as well as problems. Ensure that the self-respect of the audience is
maintained and their emotions are not at harm. Modify your words in message to suit the
audience’s needs while making your message complete. Features of considerate communication
are as follows:
 Emphasize on “you” approach.
 Empathize with the audience and exhibit interest in the audience. This will stimulate a
positive reaction from the audience.
 Show optimism towards your audience. Emphasize on “what is possible” rather than
“what is impossible”. Lay stress on positive words such as jovial, committed, thanks,
warm, healthy, help, etc.
4. Clarity - Clarity implies emphasizing on a specific message or goal at a time, rather than trying to
achieve too much at once. Clarity in communication has following features:
 It makes understanding easier.
 Complete clarity of thoughts and ideas enhances the meaning of message.
 Clear message makes use of exact, appropriate and concrete words.
5. Concreteness - Concrete communication implies being particular and clear rather than fuzzy and
general. Concreteness strengthens the confidence. Concrete message has following features:
 It is supported with specific facts and figures.
 It makes use of words that are clear and that build the reputation.
 Concrete messages are not misinterpreted.
6. Courtesy - Courtesy in message implies the message should show the sender’s expression as
well as should respect the receiver. The sender of the message should be sincerely polite,
judicious, reflective and enthusiastic. Courteous message has following features:
 Courtesy implies taking into consideration both viewpoints as well as feelings of the
receiver of the message.
 Courteous message is positive and focused at the audience.
 It makes use of terms showing respect for the receiver of message.
 It is not at all biased.
7. Correctness - Correctness in communication implies that there are no grammatical errors in
communication. Correct communication has following features:
 The message is exact, correct and well-timed.
 If the communication is correct, it boosts up the confidence level.
 Correct message has greater impact on the audience/readers.
 It checks for the precision and accurateness of facts and figures used in the message.
 It makes use of appropriate and correct language in the message.

Awareness of these 7 C’s of communication makes you an effective communicator.

Learn management concepts & skills rapidly with easy to understand, richly illustrated self-
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Corporate Meetings
Corporate Meetings are very crucial part of business activities. They are a significant means of
formal communication. Meetings are a venue for generation of new and innovative ideas. These
meetings are multipurpose in nature actually. They aim at discussing feedback and receiving
feedback on the spot. The information of prior importance is given during meetings. They are a
true means of conveying feelings and expressions. Meetings involve people of the company.
Meetings, thus, encourage participation and motivate them. Participants in a meeting, if given
responsibility, turn out to be more productive and contribute to organizational success.

Corporate Meetings thus turn out to be a place where various aspects of business management
are discussed- the performance of the company, the mission and vision of company, the
weaknesses of company, the obstacles faced and how to overcome them. Effective meetings
involve presentations and lead to personality development. Efficient meetings save time, money
and resources of the company.
While conducting business meetings, certain things have to be taken care of. Decisions should be
based on facts and based on circumstances, they shouldn’t be based on presumptions. The
participants should be optimum in number, not too much. Don’t go off track or don’t forget the
agenda of the meeting. Avoid distractions during meetings, such as- looking here and there,
talking on phone, fiddling, etc. Decision-making should be unambiguous. Don’t waste time
waiting for latecomers. Start discussion on time.

A successful and effective business meeting is one which is well planned. It should be planned
well in advance that who all would be the participants in meeting, the time, venue, and agenda of
meeting. The agenda of the meeting should be clear to all. Do not try to make a fish market in
meeting. Respect everyone’s views. Respect the leader. Try and co-operate. It has to be ensured
that the decisions that are reached through a meeting should be implemented. Also, all
participants must get minutes at the end of meeting.

Corporate Meetings tell where the company is and where is it heading. They are communication
drivers behind organization’s success. Successful Corporate Meetings are productive, creative,
well- focused, timely and well-led.

Informal Networks in Organizations and Organizational Effectiveness

Description

This article discusses how informal networks in organizations operate and their role in both
enhancing and detracting organizational effectiveness. The key argument being made in this
article is that informal networks should be encouraged as long as they add value to the
organization and not when they become the channels for political games and avenues for anti
organizational activities.

Introduction

It is said that humans are social beings and hence, have an innate need to communicate, relate,
and exchange information with others. We are all aware of how we form networks of familial
relatives, peers, friends, and in this age of social media, virtual contacts. Therefore, being social
and engaging with others comes naturally to us. In an organizational context, this means that
employees tend to form networks comprising colleagues, superiors, and subordinates. Of course,
the HR department also plays its part in making sure that networks are formed by periodically
organizing get together events, offsite meetings, annual days, and family visits. Thus, there are
two kinds of networks in place in organization and they are the formal or the organized networks
that the management explicitly encourages, and the informal networks that are also known as
organizational grapevine wherein news, views, and information are exchanged over coffee, tea,
and less healthily, over drinks and cigarettes.

The Role of Informal Networks

Turning to the role that formal and informal networks play in ensuring organizational
effectiveness, it is indeed the case that when employees know other employees not only from
their immediate teams but across the organization, it leads to value enhancing activities. For
instance, in this age when Information Technology or IT is ubiquitous and needed for
competitive advantage, knowing someone in the IT support team on a personal basis can
certainly help especially when your team or your team members need urgent access to hardware
and software that would otherwise have to be routed through the time consuming bureaucratic
processes. Of course, this does not mean that the official channels should be bypassed in favor of
a free for all interactions. On the other hand, what this means is that you can convince your
contact in the IT team to act swiftly while the organizational machinery grinds and hence, can
get your job done quickly.

Further, informal networks are a major source of exchanging information and news related to the
organization between peers, superiors, and subordinates and more often than not, the first people
who get to know of impending announcements related to promotions and launches of new
products are the ones who have their ears to the ground. Moreover, informal networks can be a
good source of bonding and stress relief in these age of pressure wherein sharing a coffee or a tea
during breaks and engaging in harmless talks or talking shop as it is also known as can enhance
the value to the organization.

Downsides of Informal Networks

Having said that, one must not forget that informal and formal networks ought not to become
places or meetings where intrigue, backroom maneuvers, and vicious gossip become the order of
the day. In other words, informal and formal networks work best when the information being
exchanged is in the interest of the organization and not against it. For instance, there are cases
when employees have been approached by their peers with job offers and moves to rival
companies that has resulted in situations where the management had to fir the person who was
making these offers as it is against company policy. Moreover, such networks also tend to
promote favoritism, formation of power centers in the organization that are outside of the
purview of the formal networks, and can even lead to cases where these networks work against
the organizational ethos through lobbying and creation of parallel reporting.

Another big disadvantage with the informal networks are that they tend to be comprised mainly
of men which is also known as the boys club because it has been the tradition for male
employees to engage with fellow men and keep the women out. Though this can be dismissed as
harmless bantering and when anyway women employees tend to bond with other women, the
real kicker is when the managers (whether men or women) tend to favor others in their informal
networks for promotions and other benefits. Apart from this, the other disadvantage of informal
networks as well as perpetuate harassment, discrimination, and prejudice against those that are
not part of the charmed circle. Moreover, it is also the case that employees with the bad
intentions can leak the information obtained in the informal networks to competitors and the
media thereby jeopardizing the interests of the organizations.

Conclusion

It is for this reason that management tends to keep a watch on what is being said where and when
as otherwise, the downsides as discussed here can lead to the effectiveness of the organization
being compromised. It is the argument being made in this article that informal networks must
work towards enhancing organizational effectiveness instead of detracting the same. In
conclusion, informal networks are good ways for employees to unwind, relieve their good as
well as bad moments, crib about their bosses and let the pressure ease. However, they become
dangerous when they become centers for political games. Therefore, the HR department must
encourage and tolerate such networks as long as they are beneficial to the organization.