THE 5 C’S OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Communicating is something we all do. Everything we do communicates information in some way: a baby cries to communicate hunger, a child screams to communicate fear, some people fold their arms to communicate disgust, we use language to communicate everything.

While communicating for basic needs is ingrained in us at birth, communicating at a professional level has to be learned. Culture, community, and one's own abilities have a big impact on the communication skills they develop.

Regardless of your own level of communication skills, there are few things you can do to ensure that you always communicate effectively. Here are 5 C's of effective communication that will help you improve your skills and take your communication to the next level!

1. CLARITY: Clarity is the foundation of effective communication. Without clarity, your message or information will be lost or will have less of an impact than you want. If your information is unclear, people may not receive your message the way you want them to and you may think they are not listening, instead it is because they don't understand what you meant to convey. Always be clear in your words. If you are unsure if what you are saying (or writing) is clear enough, ask someone else to read your words back to you or to give you feedback on your spoken words.

2. CONCISENESS: Conciseness and clarity go hand in hand. You should always craft a message that is clear and succinct. There is no reason to add a bunch of words or useless information to your message. Not only does this dilute the impact of your intended message, it also causes people to lose interest, get distracted, or miss the main message all together. Keep it short, sweet, and to the point to ensure success!

3. CONSISTENCY: Be consistent in every way with your communication. Create a consistent tone and style of communicating so that your team or audience gets familiar with you and always knows what to expect. The more consistency you keep in your communication, the better your messages will be received and the more you will build your credibility among your audience.

4. CONNECTION: The fourth C, connection, is built through the first 3 C's. Once you have clarity, create a concise message, and become consistent in your communication style, you are able to build connection with your audience or team. This is where the magic happens! Relationships are built through connection and through connection, your business or team can realize incredible success!

5. CONFIDENCE: The fifth C is really a product of the other 4. Confidence is earned as a result of implementing the previous 4 C's as well as through regular practice and analysis of your communication. Ultimately, the more you intentionally communicate, the more confidence you will build. As your confidence grows, your ability to communicate effectively will come more easily.

Communicating more effectively is a skill that can be learned and improved upon. Communication also changes depending on the setting, so it’s important to tailor your communication style accordingly in order to have the most successful outcome. To make sure your communication is effective, remember the 5 C’s: Clarity, Conciseness, Consistency, Connection & Confidence.

We hope this blog post has helped you to better understand the importance of effective communication. Even if it’s not your area of expertise, all successful communicators are experts at understanding how people communicate and what they need to be effective. Think about which one of the 5 C's is your strongest or weakest? Which ones do you feel comfortable with? Let me know! I would love to help you find strategies that work for YOU, so that you can confidently connect and share your message with those you serve!

Want more tips on how to be an effective communicator? Click HERE for my free guide to communicating greatly!

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Ciao for now!