THE SEVEN C·s OF EFFECTIVE

COMMUNICATION

BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION
„
s


Sy
 Aami Ali

„
s

 To
Si Khalil Ahm

& R
s of h
Class M
mb
s.
 THE SEVEN C·s
˜ Compl


ss

˜ Cois

ss

˜ Cosi
aio
˜ Co


ss

˜ Cla iy

˜ Cou 
sy

˜ Co

ss
 COM„ETENESS
Business message is complete when it contains all
facts the reader or listener needs for the reaction
you desire.
As you strive for completeness, keep the following
guidelines in mind;
˜ „rovide all necessary information.

˜ Answer all questions asked.

˜ Give something extra when desirable.

 „ ovi
All N

ssa y Ifo maio
Answering the five W·s helps make messages clear: Who,
What, When, Where, and Why.
Asw
All Qu
sios Ask

Look for questions: some may even appear buried within
a paragraph. Locate them and then answer precisely.

iv
Som
hi Ex a, Wh
 D
si abl

Use your good judgment in offering additional material if
the sender·s message was incomplete.
 CONCISENESS
Úonciseness is saying what you want to say in the
fewest possible words without sacrificing the
other Ú qualities. A concise message is complete
without being wordy.
To achieve conciseness, observe the following
suggestions;
˜ §liminate wordy expressions.
˜ Include only relevant material.
˜ Avoid unnecessary repetition.
 Elimia
Wo y Exp
ssios
Use single words in place of phrases. §ven
Winston Úhurchill made extensive use of simple,
one syllable words.

Exampl

Wo y A his im

Cois
 Now

Wo y Du
o h
fa ha

Cois
 B
aus

 Ilu
Oly R
l
va Ma
ial
Exampl

Wo y W
h

by wish o l
 you kow ha

ou ompay is pl
as
 wih h
ofi


you hav

spo i us.
Cois
 W
app
ia
you ofi

.
 CONSIDERATION
Úonsideration means preparing every message
with the message receivers in mind; try to put
yourself in their place. You are considerate, you
do not lose your temper, you do not accuse and
you do not charge them without facts. the
thoughtful consideration is also called ´you-
´you-
attitudeµ.
˜ mocus on ´Youµ instead of ´Iµ and ´Weµ.

˜ Show audience benefit or interest in the receiver.

˜ §mphasize positive, pleasant facts.

 Fous o ´Youµ Is
a of ´Iµ o
´W
µ
Using ´youµ does help project a you-
you-attitude. But
overuse can lead to a negative reaction.
Exampl

W
Aiu
 I Am 
li h
 o aou

ha w
will b

x
i ou hou s o mak

shoppi mo
ov
i
.

YouAiu
 You will b
abl
o shop

v
i s wih h

x

 hou s.
Show Aui

B

fi o I

s i
h
R

iv

—eader may react positively when benefits are
shown them. Benefits must meet recipients
needs, address their concerns, or offer them
rewards. Most important they must be perceived
as benefits by the receivers.
 CONCRETENESS
Úommunicating concretely means being specific, definite,
and vivid rather than vague and general. Often it means
using donatives (direct, explicit, often dictionary based)
rather than connotative words (ideas or notions
suggested by or associated with a word or phrase).
The following guidelines should help you compose
concrete, convincing message;
˜ Use specific facts and figures.

˜ „ut action in your verbs.

˜ Úhoose vivid, image building words.

Us
Sp
ifi Fas a Fi u
s
It is desirable to be precise and concrete in both
written and oral business communication.

Va u
, 

al, Co

, „
is

I
fii

I 1996, h
MAT
Su
 MAT
so
s av
a
 600

so
s a
hi h
.
by 1997 h
y ha
is
 o 610.
 „u Aio i You V
bs
perbs can activate other words and help make
your sentences alive, more vigorous.
˜ Use active rather than passive verbs.

˜ „ut action in your verbs rather than nouns and

infinites.
 Choos
Vivi, Ima

Ima
Buili
Wo s
Business writing uses less figurative language than
does the world of fiction.

Bla Ima
Mo
Vivi Ima
s

This is a lo This l

is h


l

. im
s as lo as you
sai i woul.
 CARITY
Getting the meaning from your head to the head
of your reader (accurately) is the purpose of
clarity. Of course you know it is not simple. We
all carry around our own unique interpretations,
ideas, experiences associated with words.
˜ Úhoose precise, concrete and familiar words.

˜ Úonstruct effective sentences and paragraphs.

 Choos
„
is
, Co

, a
Familia Wo s
Úlarity is achieved in part through a balance
between precise language and familiar language.
„recise words need not be pretentious.

Familia „

ious
Abou Ci a (
Af
Subs
u

Hom
Domiil

Fo
xampl

. . (
 Cos u Eff
iv
S


s a
„a a aphs
At the core of clarity is the sentences. This
grammatical statement, when clearly expressed,
moves thoughts within a paragraph. Important
characteristics to consider are length, unity,
coherence, and emphasis.

Ul
a  B
i a
x
ll
 lawy
, I am su

you a h
lp us.
Cl
a  B
i a
x
ll
 lawy
, you a
su
ly h
lp us.
 COURTESY
True courtesy involves being aware not only of the
perspective of others, but also their feelings.
Úourtesy stems from a sincere you-
you-attitude.
The following are suggestions for generating a
courteous tone;
˜ Be sincerely tactful, thoughtful, and appreciative.

˜ Use expressions that show respect.

˜ Úhoose nondiscriminatory expressions.

 B
Si

ly Taful, Thou hful,
a App
iaiv

Though few people are intentionally abrupt or
blunt, these negative traits are a common cause
of discourtesy.
Tal
ss, Blu Mo
Taful
Supi l


I a· I·s my u
sai 
u
sa ay of i.
Som
im
s my wo i
Cl
a ly, you i o is o p
is

l
 m
 y

a my la
s fax. a ai
 Us
Exp
ssios ha Show R
sp

wo reader wants to receive message that offend.

Skip I iai Exp
ssios

You a

li u


You fail
 o
Co a y o you if



I
xusabl

Simply os
s

 Choos
Nois imiao y
Exp
ssios
Another requirement for courtesy is the use of
nondiscriminatory language that reflects equal
treatment of people regardless of gender, race,
ethnic origin, and physical features.

Qu
sioabl
Mo
D
si abl

F
shma E
i su
s
fi s y
a
su
.
Wo k
s

mploy

s
wo k
Mapow

fo 
p
so
l
 CORRECTNESS
At the core of correctness is proper grammar,
punctuation, and spelling.
However a message may be perfect grammatically
and mechanically but still insult or lose a
customer. The correctness, as applied to
business messages, also means the following
three characteristics:
˜ Use the right level of language.
˜ Úheck accuracy of figures, facts, and words.
˜ Maintain acceptable writing mechanics.
 Us
h
Ri h 
v
l of a ua

Informal writing is more characteristics of business
writing³
writing³even more so if that writing occurs in an §-§-
mail message.
Mo
Fo mal 
ss Fo mal
„articipate Join
„rocure Get
§ndeavor Try

Ch
k Au ay of Fi u
s, Fas, a Wo s

A good check of data is to have another person read
and comment on the validity of the material.
ANY QUESTIONS ?
Ê