The 7 C’s of Communication and Their Value in Leadership (2024)

What are the most important qualities of a leader? This question has been asked by just about every professor in every leadership course across the country (including mine!). And yet, as far as I know, there has still yet to be conclusive answer. Leaders need to be honest, inspiring, fair, creative, and effective communicators, among many other characteristics.

Today, let’s focus on just one: Effective Communication.

It’s not only the day to day interactions that comprise a leader’s communication, but the culture they create. It’s up to the leader to foster a space in which effective communication can flourish.

Effects of Poor Communication

Poor communication skills have consequences that trickle down from the top and infiltrate systems. When communication from leaders isn’t resonating with the team, the impact can be daunting. Some of the most common signs of failed communication are:

• Lack of Focus. Have you ever been to a meeting without an agenda? Did you start playing with your phone or staring out the window? A lack of focus rooted in poor communication could be the culprit.
• Unclear Purpose. Simon Sinek’s legendary TED Talk focuses on this. Start with your ‘why’. In order to inspire, you need to have a purpose. Otherwise, communication is just words.
• Low Morale. If a leader is a poor communicator, team energy may take a nosedive. Keeping team members motivated and excited about the work they’re doing requires the ability to engage them through communication.
• Loss of Credibility. When communication skills are not up to par, it makes both the individual leader and company look less reputable. Whether it’s communication with a team member or the public, leaders need to be able to express their ideas confidently and persuasively.
• Tone. As a Leader, if we communicate with a negative tone, we will not bring the best out in others. Telling others what they are doing wrong creates resistance, fosters a lack of trust and generally ends up with a negative outcome.

Now that you know how poor communication can impact your team, let’s work on fixing it.

Improving Effective Communication

A practical way for leaders to approach the challenge of communicating effectively is to focus on the intricacies of the process. Dr. John Baird and Dr. Jim Stull came up with what they call the 7 C’s of Communication. While they were originally designed for the written word, they can be adapted for all types of communication.

1. Clear

Does your communication have a clear message? Don’t forget to take into account things like cultural differences and languages barriers. When communication is effective it is understood by all. So, your message needs to be clear. The key is ensuring that anyone listening to the message understands the meaning behind it. Setting specific intentions helps with clarity in communication.

2. Concise

Remember the phrase, ‘less is more’? It applies perfectly to communication. Leaders need to communicate in a way that insights action, that means knowing the point and getting right to it. Spare the excess details to save time and increase efficiency.

3. Concrete

Great leaders can get a team behind them after simply opening their mouths (cue the reel of sports locker room speeches). The trick lies in the language used to engage people. Choose descriptive words and phrases over general explanations. Words should create images in the recipients mind.

4. Correct

Checking and re-checking facts before presenting them is an essential part of effective leadership. Be mindful of framing opinions as fact. Your team and your colleagues may take what you say as law, do your best to make it factual and true.

5. Coherent

A leader should be the one clearing the path for others. Don’t leave it up to others to fill in the gaps on their own. Provide the information necessary to form a full and coherent statement. Playing it safe and covering all the bases can come in handy when the audience is of mixed knowledge levels. Assume there are greater gaps to be filled and supply ample background.

6. Complete

Avoid using slang, too many acronyms, or summaries without enough detail. Make sure all ideas are presented in a way that comes full circle for the audience. Don’t leave people guessing.

7. Courteous

Leaders need to be relatable and viewed as respectful. Leadership isn’t an opportunity to treat others as inferior. Address others as equals and the message will be fully absorbed.

Communication is about connecting with others. Leaders can use communication to bridge the gap between various levels of operation within their establishment. Adversely, if communication is taken for granted, the negative impact can be staggering. Focus on the 7 C’s of Communication and your team will thank you.

Do you have some favorite additions to the list of Effective Communications?