Communication Skills: Abc Principle
Communication Skills: ABC Principle
Your communication should always be ABC:
A = Accurate
B = Brief
C = Clear
A: How to make your communication more Accurate.
Accuracy means two things:
- Accurate in the sense of being factually accurate
- Accurate in the sense of using accurate grammar
Accurate facts: Always check your facts. Check your sources. The world is full of fake-news and the responsibility is on you to ensure that what you say is factually accurate.
Accurate grammar: Your facts may be accurate, but your grammar may be ambiguous. For example:
- When I nod my head, that's the signal for you to hit it.
- I took my dog and my wife into town so I could have her deloused.
You need to be sure your writing is accurate in both content and grammatical structure.
B: Be Brief
The message must be sufficiently brief to allow the listener or reader to "take it in".
If you present too much information, then most people will be put off.
Cut all non-essential items.
C: Make Sure You are Clear
Clear means clearly defined. All concepts must be clearly defined.
There are three ways to clearly define your meaning:
1. By using numbers:
Rather than saying, "taxes are too high". Say "VAT is currently 20% and it should be reduced to 17.5%"
2. By using definitions:
Give definitions of ambiguous words. For example; "Power" is a measure of the amount of work done in a unit of time.
3. By using images:
Often a picture is worth a thousand words.
For example, have a look at the diagram below and I think you will immediately see what it means. But to explain without an image, would be quite tricky.
Summary
Your communication should always be:
A = Accurate: Facts and grammar
B = Brief: Edit all non-essentials
C = Clear: By giving numbers, definitions or images.
About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years’ experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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Further Reading in Communication - Clear Communication
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How to be a good conversationalist
Conversational skills are essential both in business and socially, so here are some top tips to becoming a good conversationalist.
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Success Through Communication
The ability to communicate ideas to the rest of your team, is a vital skill for your organisation's success.
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What are the Factors of Effective Communication?
Being able to communicate effectively is vital to achieving your goals, as well as fostering good working relationships with colleagues. Great communication at work will benefit the sharing of creative ideas and problem solving.
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Communication Skills: Two Opposites
Ambiguity and vagueness in language causes breakdown in communication and leads to misunderstanding and conflicts.
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Six Step Formula for Investigative Interviews
Managers are often required to conduct interviews to obtain information that may be needed as evidence in court. Therefore it is essential that interviews are professionally conducted.
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