PRINCIPLES OF

COMMUNICATION
 9 PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
Michael Osborn (2009) communication must meet certain standards for
effective communication to take place.
1. Clarity
-Clarity makes speeches understable. Fuzzy language is absolutely forbidden, as
are jargons, cliche expressions , euphemisms , and doublespeak language.
2. Concreteness
-Concreteness reduces misunderstandings. Messages must be supported by
facts such as research data, statistics or figures. To achieve concreteness,
abstract words must be avoided.
3. Courtesy
-Courtesy builds good will. It involves polite in terms of
approach and manner of addressing an individual.
4. Correctness
Glaring mistakes grammar obscures the meaning of a sentence. Alsom the
misuse of language can damage your credibility.
5. Consideration
Messages must be geared towards the audience. The sender of a message must
consider the recipient’s profession, level of education, race, ethnicity, hobbies,
interests, passions, advocacies and age when drafting or delivering a message.
6. Conciseness
Simplicity and directness help you to be concise. Avoid using lengthy
expressions and word that may confuse the recipient.
7. Cultural Sensitivity
Today with the increasing emphasis on empowering diverse cultures, lifestyles,
and races and the pursuit for gender equality, cultural sensitivity becomes an
important standard for effective communication.
8. Captivating
You must strive to make messages interesting to command more attention and
better responses.