Communication is the lifeblood of our interactions, shaping our every dream, choice, and decision. It's no surprise that much of our time is spent communicating, yet many problems stem from miscommunication.
To become an expert communicator, it's essential to understand the 5 W's of communication:
The 5W’s are-
1.Who
2. Why
3. What
4. When
5. Where
I have discussed these points so you can understand their importance. Also, you will take some time to practice these points.
Who:
We will refer to the sender and the receiver as who. The bond between a sender and the receiver needs to grow well for effective communications.
This point is all about the speaker and the audience and their preferences.
There are a few factors to decide the relationship between the speaker and his audience.
Factors:
The sender and the receiver will always have different opinions and personal beliefs. While communicating at the workplace, never let that differences hamper your conversation.
Respect each other's point of view. Opposing someone’s proposal does not mean insulting the person.
Your differences have no place in your work life. Remember that while discussing projects to the person you dislike most in the office.
While communicating, written, or verbally, you should be careful before using words. In professional life, no one accepts errors in grammar while communicating in writing.
Ask yourself:
Before starting any conversation in your professional life, answer the following questions.
Who is your audience?
There is a different approach for your boss and your junior groups. In communication with your boss or team leader, you should be ready to learn from them. But in a conversation with your juniors, you need to satisfy their query. You should prepare well for that.
Who will get affected because of your communication?
This is a very crucial point to remember. You need to have prior experience to understand who will get affected. Only after that, you can propose ideas to compensate for the harm caused by your words.
Who will take the required action?
You need to mention who will take the required action, notably, in a conversation where you are discussing methods to solve the problem.
You should divide teams for different stages in a large project. Also, you must be careful about your choices.
These teams must contain enough qualified members to take action when the team requires.
Who will support your ideas?
You need to find support for your ideas. You should have a clear answer before presenting your ideas anywhere. Because with no support, they will reject your idea.
Who is in charge of action?
In a conversation, one person says, and one person listens. If the speaker turns to the listener, then the communication cannot get successful. You should always remember who is in charge of a conversation. Do not lose that position.
What:
What refers to the message itself in communication? You can speak a message verbally or send it in writing. Every message has different goals to achieve.
There are a few factors that decide the goal of the message.
Factors:
When you want to deliver a particular set of information, then you need to focus on what.
Even your casual conversation with your team leader can offer you some new things to learn.
The answer to the questions shows the roadmap from the problem to the solution.
Only a person who wants to know more and more can find the right questions associated with what.
Ask yourself:
In terms of the message content and the audience, ask yourself the questions below.
What are you required to communicate?
Do you have a clear idea about the message you need to deliver? The message should accord with the goal you achieve.
What is in it for you and the audience?
Before pitching for the next deal, understand your proposal. Does your proposal contain enough profit to take it? Is your proposal giving your clients enough reason to accept your company’s bidding?
What should the message be?
Are you giving a presentation on the next product launch? Are you pitching for a salary hike? Are you asking for a half-day leave?
Are you discussing the budget expense of the next project? These questions have different goals to achieve. Your message should depend on the goal. That’s how you can deliver the right message to the right audience.
What action is the audience required to take because of the communication?
This is about ideas and proposals. First, you understand what the problem is. Then you put your efforts to find the solution. The framework of the required action is the answer to this question.
Why:
This is the third step to make the effective communication. After finding what to say, an automatic question comes after that why you need to say. This why question gives an answer that will eventually motivate you.
Factors:
It also implies your doubts. But doubt only arises when you put your effort into finding solutions. A person who never tries, also never gets doubt on his thought process.
Ask yourself:
To know the depth of the problem and to find the way of solutions, you need to ask the questions below to yourself.
Why am I required to communicate?
Understanding the reason is the beginning of a journey to the answer. When you analyze the problem, you get reasons. They link these reasons with the communication between a speaker and his audience.
Why communicate now?
This question raises some doubts about the speaker's mind. But finding the answer can never be too late.
You might get a second thought of communicating with your boss. After the whole project distribution, getting second thoughts is normal. But until you start, it can never fulfill your goals.
Why this audience?
Talking with the boss is a tough job. Especially when convincing your boss is a tough nut to crack. You face this incident almost every day at your workplace. Do not let the answer disappoint you. You talk to an audience because he may be the best person to help you find solutions to your problem.
Why is this communication important?
The answer to this question clarifies the importance of the requirement. If you ask yourself this question, then you feel responsible to face the situation.
Why is the option is right?
This question ensures that you are not a victim of overconfidence. When doubt arises in your mind, then you will find and check other options available at your hand.
Among those options, you should choose one. That one option which you think will be much better to deal with the situation comparatively.
When:
The timing of a message decides if they will receive it wholeheartedly or not. When questions find the perfect timing.
Factors:
Do not rush out in a hurry. Sometimes, the audience does not have time to listen properly. Then you can not expect any positive feedback from them.
Do not start a formal conversation in a noisy place with an old-fashioned client. The environmental factors may play a vital role in your potential effective communication.
Ask yourself:
The “When” questions are such as below.
When is communication required?
This is the initial step in finding solutions to problems. If you need to join a new project, pitch your boss at the right time before he completes teams for the job.
When is the action or result required?
This question defines the best fitted time frame of the required action.
Where:
These are some basic questions that a sender should know about. If you are a motivational speaker or consultant, these questions play a vital role in your speech.
Factors:
There are a few factors that decide how effective the next communication will be. Distance to the venue, prior experience between the sender and the receiver are some of them.
Where is the venue or location of communication?
The distance from your place to the venue decides if you will deliver a speech or not. Sometimes, your other appointments do not allow you to invest hours in traveling.
Where can I get more information?
This question is for someone who loves to research before communicating. Research about the audience, their requirements, your destinations. These are some crucial questions to answer.
Conclusion:
Every potential effective communication needs the base of these basic elements. You need to practice to get used to these elements. All the best.
Mark Jackson
7c’s communications are seven pillars of effective communication. There are so many options to communicate with people. You can communicate in writing. Verbal and non-verbal are also two popular options.
The 7c’s have equal importance in these three types of communication.
The 7c’s of communications:
1.Complete
2. Clear
3. Correct
4. Concise
5. Concrete
6. Courtesy
7. Consider
In professional communications, there is no scope of misinterpretations. But it happens. Sometimes, because we send some informal messages to our clients, sometimes, we cannot understand their requirements. We even cannot respect their emotions attached to some special projects. As a result, we cannot achieve the goal of satisfying our clients.
Here, in this article, we have discussed how to practice the 7c’s of communication. You will get enormous to enjoy it.
Completeness -
Incomplete communication brings no result to the sender. It must have a starting and endpoint. It should cover every single point of requirements. Every deal and proposal starts with a conversation. If the conversation is not complete, you can’t expect any revert from clients. Even this condition holds for communication with colleagues too. The sender’s information has to satisfy the receiver’s doubts. Until then, you can’t count it as a complete communication.
Importance:
i) Completeness gives a communication real meaning.
ii) Every department needs to share every required detail with another department.
iii) Especially when we are working on a big project, it is important because incomplete communication raises imagination in employees.
iv) They get doubts about what to do in the next step. In that pressure, they might get diverted from the right path to finish the project. As a result, it is a total loss of resources and time.
v) Complete communication strengthens the company’s market value. It brings trust to the house. People recognize the brand or company by its name. Sales will go high.
vi) You can reduce the extra costs. When you do not have to make another presentation, it will save lots of time.
vii) Also, you need not print and send any other terms and conditions papers because there will be no extra information to share with your clients.
viii) A complete set of information helps to make a better decision as an employee or boss. You can see as you already know every bits and piece of the project.
ix) There will be no more extra burden of doubts because you would already have every crucial information.
What to do:
i) You must have a complete list of essential points during verbal communication.
ii) You must have complete knowledge of your company’s requirements. Only after that, you can send proposals to clients.
iii) You should make a rough sketch of requirements. Put every single detail there.
iv) You will get time to revise or re-correct if all the points are there or not.
v) Ask someone else to check the list. One must know the project requirements.
vi) Have a quick session with your partner at work on the list of topics. If there is anything left out, you will get to know.
vii) Imagine yourself in the receiver’s place. Try to answer every question that might arise in the client's mind.
viii) After sending proposals, have verbal communication with the receiver. If the customer asks questions about any neglected detail, then answer that on point. It will save your project from crashing.
Clear-
When large numbers of people work together, the miscommunication happens. That’s why it is crucial to be careful about that. Be it formal or informal massages. Every organization needs clarity of its statement. Unclear reports and proposals would do nothing but a waste of time.
Everybody needs to understand the significance of different ideas. Only then it might bring the best results.
What to do:
1. Do not drag the communication unnecessarily long. Learn to talk only when it is needed.
2. Say what you need.
3. Try to explain the whole matter in a few words.
4. Give easy examples to your staff. This will help them understand the matter better.
5. Talk directly to the person. Be it face to face or via phone. Directly communication decreases the chance of miscommunication.
6. Think and plan in your head before talking. Try to explain the matter to yourself first. Then you will have a clear idea of the matter. After that, you can easily explain to your colleagues.
7. Be confident about what you are speaking. Do not show any nervousness while talking. Because then, your audience also cannot understand your point of view.
Importance:
a) Communication portrays our thoughts and views over matters.
b) When you convey messages to your team, their confidence and productivity level get boosted.
c) Without a clear understanding of messages, you cannot expect your team to perform brilliantly.
d) As a team leader, it also shows your ability to explanation and understanding.
e) Employee’s trust gets reestablished when higher authority sends clear messages to them.
f) The clarity in communication is the most important criterion for those who work in finance. They can not afford to send an unclear report to the authority. It might mishap the whole budget expense. That may lead to the company’s future at stake.
Correct:
Correctness means no mistake. Correct communication does not contain any false statements. In written communication, there should have no grammatical errors too.
In spreadsheets and presentations, it accepts no error in data and statistics. That is the primary need of correct communication. Correct communication shows a strong bond over the company and its employees. With proper communication, a company can get more potential clients and employees.
Importance:
1. Correct input of data and statistics is crucial for the balance sheet.
2. No presentation with communication errors can bring results.
3. Correct communication between employees and higher authority boost employee’s confidence.
4. When brands speak the truth, it gains people’s trust. People buy their products with no doubt. Sales get high with no marketing strategies.
5. Communication is effective only when it contains true data and correct statements.
6. An organization’s reputation depends on it.
7. Correct communication always influences the audience much better. You can persuade your audience more quickly. Also, you can rely on their reactions and commitments.
What to do:
1.) Say the truth and only truth in meetings and presentations.
2.) Share hidden data and information with the team. Only after that, they can decide if you are communicating correctly or not.
3.) Use the common language which both you and the audience understand well.
4.) Check and cross-check every data before submitting it.
5.) You must use figures and graphs in the presentation.
6.) Pitching is very important. You can not use the same style to pitch every client. Correct communication means finding the correct style of pitching for a specific client.
Concise:
A) Concise communication is a technique to learn and practice over the years. When the speaker has clarity in his thoughts, he can start a concise communication.
B) Concise communication has three equally important stages, i.e., what, when, and how.
C) When you understand the instructions to complete the project, then you would know what to do next.
D) After that, you get to know about the time limit to finish the job.
E) How to do the project becomes the toughest question in the series. When you figure that out, then you finally understand the project entirely.
Importance:
i) When people are working as a team, then the work policy needs to be more organized. Concise communication ensures that.
ii) Concise communication builds confidence — also, confidence boost productivity. People become more efficient in their work.
iii) Concise communication is very important to maintain the audience’s interest. It also builds trust.
iv) You should not get them bored with your extra lengthy conversation. Otherwise, they can miss the most crucial points of the whole conversation.
What to do:
1. Frame your conversation brilliantly before presenting it to the audience.
2. Understand every point of the topic. Besides that, you can never be able to have successful concise communication.
3. You should entirely focus on communication. In an absent mind, a brief conversation can never happen.
4. In presentations, use figures, charts to explain data and statistics.
Concrete:
Presentation is not storytelling. You can’t leave some parts of the story to imagine for the audience. Concreteness means supporting your communication with data and statistics. For that, you need to prepare well before any communication.
Be specific rather than general in this communication.
Importance:
1.) Concrete communication leaves no space for misinterpretation. The communication becomes more clear.
2.) The organization’s reputation gets higher.
3.) Trust between the speaker and the audience becomes more strong.
4.) It also shows how much research a team has done before a presentation or meeting.
What to do:
i) It needs a lot of research before presenting a concrete data. This will support your conversation.
ii) You may use figures and facts to strengthen your point of view.
iii) As a boss, it depends upon your practice skills. The more you practice, the better you deliver a concrete data loaded the presentation.
Courtesy:
It shows respect between the speaker and the audience.
The speaker understands the value of the audience’s feelings and respects that.
Importance:
1.) It shows the humbleness of the speaker.
2.) If you address your juniors and staff courteously, they will admire you more.
3.) When a leader shows respect, then the bond between him and his employees grows strong.
4.) You will earn more trust. They will work harder for you.
5.) Employees will feel at home in the office. They will feel more responsible for the company.
What to do:
a) Value your employees as you value yourself.
b) Try to reconsider their problems regarding late works in over duty. Do not shout at them.
c) Ask them politely to work late. You may tell them the importance of the work.
d) Treat them equal. Use us instead of you and me.
e) Learn to say please.
f) Use polite terms to show mutual respect.
Consideration:
You should value your employees’ feelings and beliefs. This consideration attitude makes your communication more effective.
You need to understand their requirements and beliefs. Your presentation must show respect towards them. Deliver your speech targeting those feelings.
Importance:
1. Consider your staff’s feelings and mindset. That will make the bond between you and them warm.
2. It shows how much you care for them.
3. You earn their trust. They would do more hard work for the company’s sake.
4. It will make the conversation healthier.
5. You will become more approachable in the office.
What to do:
i) Do not always doubt on your employee’s intentions. He may get late because of some genuine reasons.
ii) Prefer to use you rather than he or they.
iii) Always have a positive attitude. Do not exaggerate the problem. Try to focus on solutions.
iv) Research about your audience before communication. Their problems, mindset, beliefs, etc. are essential points to consider.
v) Do not neglect your audience’s emotions.
Conclusion:
This is the 7c’s of communication. You should know these. Practicing these seven steps skills will make you more effective in communication.