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 an 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 7 C’s of communication are as follows:

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

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

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.
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

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.

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!

Correct
Make sure all your facts and figures are accurate with no grammatical errors. Always
proofread your work before presenting it. A correct massage 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 proofread 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 what is
possible rather than 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

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
one.

Good Example

Dear Suzie,

Thank you for your work at 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 in 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.

This article was originally published at  www.stpaulsice.com written by Odell

Dias

Common Barriers to Effective Communication:

 The use of jargon. Over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms.
 Emotional barriers and taboos. Some people may find it difficult to
express their emotions and some topics may be completely 'off-limits'
or taboo. Taboo or difficult topics may include, but are not limited to,
politics, religion, disabilities (mental and physical), sexuality and sex,
racism and any opinion that may be seen as unpopular.
 Lack of attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance to the
receiver. (See our page Barriers to Effective Listening for more
information).
 Differences in perception and viewpoint.
 Physical disabilities such as hearing problems or speech difficulties.
 Physical barriers to non-verbal communication. Not being able to see
the non-verbal cues, gestures, posture and general body language can
make communication less effective. Phone calls, text messages and
other communication methods that rely on technology are often less
effective than face-to-face communication.
 Language differences and the difficulty in understanding unfamiliar
accents.
 Expectations and prejudices which may lead to false assumptions or
stereotyping.  People often hear what they expect to hear rather than
what is actually said and jump to incorrect conclusions. Our page The
Ladder of Inference explains this in more detail.
 Cultural differences.  The norms of social interaction vary greatly in
different cultures, as do the way in which emotions are expressed. For
example, the concept of personal space varies between cultures and
between different social settings. See our page on Intercultural
Awareness for more information.
A skilled communicator must be aware of these barriers and try to reduce
their impact by continually checking understanding and by offering
appropriate feedback.

A Categorisation of Barriers to Communication

Language Barriers
Language and linguistic ability may act as a barrier to communication.
However, even when communicating in the same language, the terminology
used in a message may act as a barrier if it is not fully understood by the
receiver(s). For example, a message that includes a lot of specialist jargon
and abbreviations will not be understood by a receiver who is not familiar
with the terminology used.
Regional colloquialisms and expressions may be misinterpreted or even
considered offensive. See our page: Effective Speaking for more information.
Psychological Barriers
The psychological state of the communicators will influence how the
message is sent, received and perceived.
For example:
If someone is stressed they may be preoccupied by personal concerns and
not as receptive to the message as if they were not stressed.
Stress management is an important personal skill that affects our
interpersonal relationships. See our pages  Stress: Symptoms and
Triggers  and  Avoiding Stress  for more information.
Anger is another example of a psychological barrier to communication. When
we are angry it is easy to say things that we may later regret, and also to
misinterpret what others are saying.
See our pages:  What is Anger?  and  Anger Management  for more information.
More generally people with low self-esteem may be less assertive and
therefore may not feel comfortable communicating - they may feel shy or
embarrassed about saying how they really feel, or read unintended negative
sub-texts in messages they hear.
Visit our pages on  Improving Self-Esteem  and  Assertiveness  for more
information.
Physiological Barriers
Physiological barriers to communication may result from the receiver’s
physical state.
For example, a receiver with reduced hearing may not fully grasp the content
of a spoken conversation especially if there is significant background noise.
Physical Barriers
An example of a physical barrier to communication is geographic distance
between the sender and receiver(s).
Communication is generally easier over shorter distances as more
communication channels are available and less technology is required. The
ideal communication is face-to-face.
Although modern technology often helps to reduce the impact of physical
barriers, the advantages and disadvantages of each communication channel
should be understood so that an appropriate channel can be used to
overcome the physical barriers.
Systematic Barriers
Systematic barriers to communication may exist in structures and
organisations where there are inefficient or inappropriate information
systems and communication channels, or where there is a lack of
understanding of the roles and responsibilities for communication. In such
organisations, people may be unclear of their role in the communication
process and therefore not know what is expected of them.
Attitudinal Barriers
Attitudinal barriers are behaviours or perceptions that prevent people from
communicating effectively.
Attitudinal barriers to communication may result from personality conflicts,
poor management, resistance to change or a lack of motivation. To be an
effective receiver of messages you should attempt to overcome your own
attitudinal barriers to to help ensure more effective communication.

Read more at: https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/barriers-

communication.html