The Five Cs of Communication

One of the keys to success in any business is effective communication, but establishing a culture where different departments within your organisation work cohesively can be easier said than done. To simplify the process, the five Cs of communication have been developed to offer a guideline of what employees should bear in mind when collaborating with colleagues. They are:

• Clear
• Considerate
• Correct
• Confidence
• Complimentary

Clear: Your message needs to operate on the basis of ‘if anything can go wrong, it will’. With this in mind, you need to make sure what you are saying cannot be misinterpreted in any way. This also refers to the clarity within your voice – don’t mumble and don’t speak too fast. Another ‘C’ that could be included here is ‘concise’, as it’s important to stick to your point and not to confuse your message with irrelevant information. Considerate: Show respect for your colleagues and they should reciprocate this. Don’t overplay your position if you are a senior member of staff – you are likely to get better results if your co-workers like you rather than if they fear or resent you. Correct: Perhaps the most important C, if your information is factually inaccurate, then this can undermine the whole communication process. This also extends to the way you speak, as poor grammar or sentence structure can undermine your colleagues’ respect for your authority. Confidence: Speak confidently. Keep your voice calm and steady, while making eye contact with who you are speaking to. Even if you are feeling stressed, don’t let your voice convey this. Complimentary: Good communication is based on a positive relationship, so don’t be afraid to praise your co-workers. This should be subtle so as to not come across as being patronising or false, and you should use your judgement accordingly as to exactly what sort of compliments are appropriate. For more information on how you can apply the five Cs in a business environment, book onto one of our corporate training courses today. [block id=”1068″]