Communication Skills: Abc Principle

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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

• Think Before You Speak
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• Four Steps to Improve Your Communication Skills
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• Communication Methods
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• Do You Make Any of These Communication Mistakes?
  Good communication is important in all aspects of our lives. There are some common mistakes people make when communicating, which can affect how they are perceived. Take a look at these common mistakes and see if you can improve on any of them.
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