The 4 C’s of good communication

Not all of us are naturally good communicators, particularly in the written word. The good part is that you can do a few simple things to improve your communication effectiveness, if you take a little time to do some thinking first, and review afterwards. 

At HMC, we use the four C’s of good communication to help guide our work and the advice we give to clients. Whether it’s written or verbal communication, these four C’s can be applied and improve your chances of getting the outcome you want.

Connected

Good communication is connected to the broader strategic purpose or goals of an organisation. It helps the audience draw a line between what they do and the organisation’s strategy.

Connection is also made to individuals and teams when your communication is relevant to their roles and responsibilities. In other words, it’s relevant!

Concise

Why write three words when you could write one? Remember that people are time poor - they don’t have the bandwidth to sit through a video that’s more than a few minutes long, or read an email that’s more than two paragraphs long. A concise communication is more likely to be heard and understood.

Being a concise communicator takes a bit of practice, because you want to get to the point without compromising on a professional and approachable tone. See our article on ‘tips for concise communication’ here.

Clear

Why are you communicating in the first place? What is this communication about, why is it relevant, and what do people need to do? These are all questions that provide clarity in your communication. Be very clear and specific upfront so that people know why they should care about what you’re saying.

Considerate

Considerate communication is that which takes into account your audience’s specific contexts. It’s not only important for messaging (for example, acknowledging a team has been through a tough time), but also for the tone, channel, voice, and timing of the communication. Being a considerate communicator shows you care, and remember - nobody cares what you know until they know that you care!

Does your team need a bit of help with improving their communication skills? Check out our communication skills training options here!