PRINCIPLES OF GOOD COMMUNICATION

PRINCIPLES OF GOOD COMMUNICATION

Communication is directly influenced by the ability to articulate issues concisely and convey to receivers in words and phrases they are familiar with so as to persuade them to the intended course of action. It is, therefore, a powerful skill to cultivate. Following checklist comprising of 7 Cs and 4 Ss should serve as good guideline for budding managers and leaders:
(1) Seven Cs of communication

(i) Completeness

Complete messages achieve the desired results without having to incur additional time and expenses is seeking clarifications and getting piece-meal replies. Complete messages from the sender help to build his image, goodwill and credibility. It saves time and cost. Following guidelines are useful:
 Check 5Ws (What, When, Where, Who and Why) and IH (How) of the message
 Answer all questions raised meticulously
 Give some extra information rather than holding it back

(ii) Conciseness

Conciseness is saying message in the fewest words without sacrificing understanding by the receivers. It is the opposite of wordiness or verbosity. By eliminating unwanted words, importance and emphasis of messages is increased. Remember that „brevity is the soul of wit‟. Following guidelines would serve better:
 Omit hackneyed expressions
 Avoid repetition and long winding sentences
 Include relevant facts but with courtesy
 Organize message logically and effectively

(iii) Consideration

Always prepare message keeping receivers in mind. Ideally, senders should put themselves in receivers‟ position and then visualize their needs and wants. Thereafter, they would be able to craft messages that are more in tune with receivers‟ requirements. One should gift wrap whatever one wants to say or write. This requires an attitude, empathy and human touch. It leads to better understanding of the human nature. Following directions should be useful:
 Focus on „you‟ instead of „I‟ or „we‟
 Highlight benefits of the message to the receiver
 Emphasize positive and pleasant aspects of facts
 Imbibe integrity in to the message

(iv) Concreteness

The message should be specific, definite and vivid. Communicators should conscientiously avoid vague and general statements. Some good rules to follow are:
 Choose vivid and image building words in the message
 Use direct and action verbs
 Use specific facts and figures

(v) Clarity

Special efforts are required to see that messages getting across are fully understood by receivers although they may not have identical experience, education and opinions. Every individual has a unique mental filter that gives different meanings to messages although the text is the same. Following tips will be useful:
 Always choose short, familiar and conversational words and phrases
 Endeavour to achieve appropriate lengths for sentences and paragraphs
 Support the message with examples, illustrations and audio-visuals

(vi) Courtesy

Courtesy comes from ones‟ innate desire to respect others. Courtesy brings in new friends and strengthens old friendships. However, one has to develop a „you-attitude‟ and being sensitive to others. A few good rules are:
 Omit expressions that hurt, are irritating and be-little
 Apologize in good faith
 Answer mail regularly and properly
 Be appreciative, thoughtful and honestly factual

(vii) Correctness

Messages done in a perfect way grammatically may fail to achieve their purpose because receivers found them insulting, humiliating and overbearing. Correctness can be ensured by adopting following rules:
 Using correct level of language in tune with the receivers
 Incorporating only accurate data and evidence
 Choosing the right words, phrases and sentences
 Organizing matter systematically in to paragraphs of appropriate size