SEVEN C’S
PRINCIPLES 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 easyto-remember checklist you can refer to
before you deliver your message.
 According to the 7 C’s, communication
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
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needs to be:
Clear
Concise
Concrete
Coherent
Complete
Courteous
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
 After
Pretentious words
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
nature.
helps in
understanding
human