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.
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.
ABC principle
The ABC principle is a business communication rule that says each message must be Accurate, Brief and Clear. You check facts and grammar, cut extra words, and define ideas with numbers, plain words or pictures. When you use all three steps in any spoken or written message, people understand quickly and trust you.
CG4D Definition
Context: Business
Genus: Principle
- Checks facts and grammar for truth and correctness
- Cuts out all non-essential words to keep the message short
- Defines ideas with numbers, plain words or pictures so the meaning is clear
- Applies to every spoken and written message in work settings
Article Summary
Use the ABC principle each time you speak or write: check facts and grammar, trim every extra word, and define ideas with numbers, images or plain labels. Accurate, brief, clear messages travel fast and win trust.