The magnificent 7 of good communication.

Clear, Concise, Concrete, Correct, Coherent, Complete and Courteous.

“Communication works for those who work at it!” – James Powell

Do you know that feeling when, after talking to someone, you leave convinced everything is ok and the next time you meet you both have different versions of the conversation? I used to blame the people I was talking to because they didn’t pay enough attention, I used to get angry because I was sure I have great communication skills and I deliver my message the right way. But channels of communication and disturbing factors aside I learned in time I had to have by my side the magnificent seven. And only then, making sure I deliver a 7C message, I can blame my interlocutor of not paying attention. I let the magnificent seven help me now.

Good communication skills can be learned. Of course you have to be born with some natural skills in order to become a great orator, but I am not speaking of becoming the next Abe Lincoln here. You need to communicate right in your business relations and also in your private life. Delivering a confusing and wrong message can make you lose business opportunities, employees and turn you into a pariah or get you a divorce. So why not befriend the magnificent seven and eliminate some of your communication problems. Let me introduce them to you.

1.       Clear. This member of your posse keeps you on track. Being clear helps you be understood easier. You should only transmit one idea with one sentence and stick to the subject. Don’t let them read between the lines, focus on one goal and don’t try to do more at once. You need to be understood and not speak just to hear yourself speak. When you are clear it is easier for everyone to receive your message right.
2.       Concise. Stick to the point, don’t say a hundred words if the subject can be covered with just 50. Words that are not related to your goal distract the person you are talking. If a message is too long people lose interest. Don’t repeat the same idea; be efficient, save time for you and the person in front of you. Remember, sometimes less is more.
3.       Concrete. Your message has to be specific, not general. When you speak about you product for example don’t say it is the best on the market. Speak about how specific characteristic of that product make it different and better. Use facts and statistics relevant and specific to your message. This builds up confidence, you look like a professional and they know that they can rely on you for future knowledge.
4.       Correct. The boy scout of the group, basically he is there to stop you from lying. The information you present has to be accurate. Don’t use false figures just to make the story sound better. And also remember to watch for typing errors, might change the message entirely. Using correct information, which can be verified if necessary, is the first step of gaining your audience’s trust.
5.       Coherent. Keep it relevant and logic. All points of your message should link naturally in order to build a good message. Don’t stray from your subject, if you speak about chemistry an analogy to football just might confuse the audience. Draw a line as straight as possible from start to end.
6.       Complete. After you finish delivering your message the audience should leave with all necessary information. They need to have a complete presentation and don’t make them go home and research longer. Include all info and have a good ending. Finish with a short recap of all ideas you presented. Be sure to answer all questions the people in front of you might have before you finish. “if you don’t give people information they will make something up to fill the void”- Carla O’Dell
7.       Courteous. You need to be friendly, keep passive – aggressive tones away and have no hidden agenda. Keep in mind you speak to other human beings and they have their perceptions about the subject, be empathic and honest. When you are being courteous you build relationships, you show that you care and you get the same back.

We could add another member to this group, they are still talking about making him a permanent member but it helps in delivering a more interesting message. I am talking about Creative. This makes your message different; reach your audience using less walked paths. In the business communication this might not always be such a great idea unless we talk about advertising, sales or marketing. It is harder to deliver a message about accounting and be creative at the same time.

Next time you communicate don’t go alone, bring your friends, all seven of them and deliver a powerful and good message. And don’t judge someone that is not as good in sending a message as you would like, building a relationship with these seven magnificent helpers is not a joy ride. You need to get to know them thoroughly and let them help you. Practice your speech, rewrite your presentations and get as much feedback as you can from those listening or reading your messages.

*Mihai Chiratcu is an opportunity creator, trainer and free man. After 10 years experience in sales and business development, he is using the knowledge gathered trying to bring a new approach in training and business consultancy. He brings you every Thursday special information and gives advices through the section “Business Opinions”. For more information, you can find Mihai at chiratcumihai@gmail.com.