How to improve your communication skills in English? – The 7Cs of effective communication

Have you come across people who speak fluently in English but simply prattle along? Or do you often feel that you are incapable of expressing your great ideas confidently? This is why to have good communication skills, not only English fluency matters but also effective communication skills!

Communication skills is a combination of both verbal and non verbal cues such as body language, gestures, eye contact etc. When it comes to verbal cues, there is a lot more at play than English grammar, spoken and written fluency.

Most online spoken English classes these days conduct crash courses in effective communication skills. If you browse through search engines, you will find a plethora of articles titled “10 or 9 or 8 or 7 C’s” of effective communication.

So why should your English communication skills be effective?

The goal of a conversation or a communication exchange between individuals is to exchange information. This exchange of information can be for both business and non-business purposes. Effective communication ensures that the parties achieve their goals as promptly and correctly as possible.

Effective communication skills have several benefits:

1. You can speak with clarity and come across as confident
2. Your word weighs well if you are able to make an impression before your audience
3. People look forward to hear from you and you are able to foster good relationships
4. Your tact to communicate well makes way for more opportunities for you to prosper

For the last 5 years, as an online English speaking course in India, we see several individuals who have amassed a large vocabulary but still struggle to communicate well. In this blog, we offer you few tips for effective communication skills.

The 7 Cs of effective English communication skills

Clarity

If you are not making sense to the listener, it’s a no brainer that the conversation will be futile. The most important part of the speech is clarity, and we need to make sure that the main message should be crystal clear. Also, important to note is that your usage of vocabulary should be such that your audience understands what you are referring to and also that your dialogue is engaging.

The attributes for clarity in a conversation are –

1.Tone and pitch are simple and easy to understand.
2. Points are explained with proper, accurate, and common terminology.
3. Familiar vocabulary as per the audience works better to create an engaging dialogue.

Concreteness

Concreteness refers to how accurate your information is and essentially attributes to a confident speaker. It also means that you have put in the amount of research needed to speak on the topic, you are truthful and hence honorable to have business associations.

The attributes for concreteness in communication are –

1. Proper analysis and research have been conducted and hence claims are substantial.
2. Facts and findings are prioritized instead of jumping to hasty conclusions.
3. No information is withheld and hence decision making is more informed.

Conciseness

Short and to the point messages and information are always appreciated and yield results. Rambling on for too long or using too many fillers in your conversations may reflect that you are not aware of what to say or that you are not confident. That is why it is essential to learn the skill to be concise.

The attributes for conciseness in communication are –

1. Accurate and exact points are highlighted.
2. The length and extent of the speech or message is controlled, thus more effective.
3. The relevant and essential aspects and discussion points are covered.
4. There is a quick and active approach to the crux of the matter or discussion.

Consideration

This refers to the concerns and layout of the audience. If you are aware of your audience, you would surely give them the best input and would be able to put across your points in a much better way. You need to know who is in the audience, what their intentions and interests are. This fosters for a engaging discussion with the audience and also reflects your preparedness.

The attributes for consideration in communication are –

1. The audience feels connected since they are better able to grasp your views on the subject.
2. The connectivity and involvement increases with the audience, it makes way for an engaging dialogue.

Coherent

With logical thinking and direction, one can easily win the trickiest of conversations. The whole concept of coherence is about making the audience fully understand and relate with the primary or central theme of the entire discussion.

The attributes for coherence in a conversation are –

1. With relevance to the discussion topic, we can connect much better with our audience.
2. Coherence makes way for logical decision making

Correctness-

Unarguably, correctness is the single most important skill in effective communication. Misleading claims or research lacking factual data is essentially lying to your audience. Its disrespectful and a serios offence that can be punishable by law. Even a trivial lie or falsehood is sufficient to spoil your reputation.

The attributes for correctness in communication are –

1. Correctness ensures factual exchange of information.
2. The speaker is confident and his views are respected by the audience.

Completeness

Completeness in communication refers to how thorough your dialogue is with respect to the goal or central theme of your conversation.

The attributes for completeness in communication are –

1. The audience is better satisfied with the information exchange, no facts are missing and thus they trust the speaker’s views.
2. The speaker is considered reliable and hence credible for further information exchange.

As we mentioned before, nonverbal cues are equally important in communication efficiency. Body language, your hand gestures, the sound of your voice and facial expressions all contribute significantly towards an effective dialogue exchange.

At Speechify, our online English tutors provide one-on-one attention towards each learner. We suggest that you address one aspect of the communication framework at a time, apply these points in your daily conversations and practice as much as possible to be recognized as an efficient communicator.

Related Article- Tips to communicate better at work