Basic Principles of Communication Process

Principles consist of the validated guidelines that are used in performing different tasks or
functions to achieve pre-defined goals. To make communication effective, few principles or
guidelines of communication are defined that should be followed. One can covey his/her
message in a more precise form if the communication is clear and effective. The same applies to
an organization or business point to view. Below are the basic principles of communication that
are also known as 7 C’s of communication:

1. Principle of Conciseness

The principle of Conciseness states that the message should be conveyed in concise form i.e. in
the best shortest possible way. In other words, the message or information should be articulated
completely in such a way that it is forwarded to the desired audience or receivers in fewer words
or signals. By following this principle, individuals and organizations can save time and cost as
well. It also helps in a much better understanding of the message by excluding unnecessary and
excessive parts of the message. This way, it is more convenient to understand the concise
message by the receiver as well.

Example: Writing an e-mail to different clients to invite for an organization’s annual day
celebration function requires a more concise e-mail message. Concise e-mail carrying
information about venue, date & time followed by a brief itinerary of function is much clearer
than describing everything of celebration in a subjective way.
2. Principle of Clarity

While communicating, clarity or clear communication is also an important aspect for individuals
and in business communication. By following the clarity principle of communication, one can
focus on a specific message at a time. So, the message that is being conveyed must be clear. It
also helps the receiver to easily understand the given message or idea. Due to clarity, there is
much appropriate and exact message transmission. Clarity should be there while communicating
through verbal words or in writing.
Example: While giving a presentation on a particular topic, the presentation should cover the
material related to the presentation topic, also voice tone and words should be clear that is easily
understandable to the audience.

3. Principle of Correctness

One can better understand or interpret the more accurate message. The guidelines for correct or
accurate communication are covered under the principle of correctness. If the message is correct
then its impact is also great and it also boosts the confidence of the sender. So, the correct use of
language is essential in effective communication and it also increases the trust factor between the
sender and receiver.

Example: While writing e-mails or business communication letters, the correct use of language
should be their i.e. grammatical errors or wrong verbs need to be avoided.

4. Principle of Concreteness

The clear and particular message is defined as a concrete message. The concreteness principle of
communication states that while communicating, the message should be to the point or specific,
definite, and clear instead of being general or unclear. Concrete communication includes facts
and figures to strengthen the message or idea. As the message is clear and specific, there are
minimal or zero chances of misinterpretation of the message.

Example: In sales meetings in organizations, communicating the message of quarterly or annual

sales results by sales personnel consists of sales presentations that include different facts and
figures of sales. This communication is based on the concrete principle of communication.
5. Principle of Completeness

A message is said to be complete when the recipients of the message receive all the necessary
information that they want to be informed. It also consists of a call to action i.e. a statement that
is specifically meant for getting instant response from the receiver. The facts and figures in
messages are also part of it. The more complex communication sometimes requires additional
information or more elaboration so that there is no doubt for the audience or receivers.
Example: Online shopping sites display complete information on different products i.e. fabric,
color, measurements, qualities, price, etc. and also call to action features i.e. to instant buy the
product by pressing buy now option. So their written communication about product information
is an example of complete communication with their audience.
6. Principle of Courteousness

The principle of courteousness states that while communicating, the sender should show respect
to the audience or receiver. So, the sender should be polite, enthusiastic, reflective, and sincere.
Being courteous is when the sender takes care of own and receiver’s feelings. These messages
are focused on the audience, positive, and unbiased.

Example: While communicating with employees for their counseling, HR Head takes a
courteous approach by taking care of their feelings, listening to their issues or problems in a
polite manner during the counseling session.

7. Principle of Coherence

The communication should be coherent i.e. both consistency and logic should be part of the
sender’s message. Without being logical or coherent, the main purpose or idea behind the
message can’t be conveyed properly. All terms of the message should be interconnected and
relevant to the message being conveyed. Moreover, consistency should be maintained in the
communication flow.

Example: When there is a change in any HR policy, the HR Head communicates the changes by
sending an e-mail to the staff. This communication consists of the logic of informing the new
changes regarding the policy to the staff so that they can work as per new guidelines.
So, the above C’s of basic principles make communication effective.
 Additional information for chapter 3

Types of Communication

1. Verbal Communication

Verbal or oral communication is defined as the flow of message or information between the
sender and audience through different verbal mediums like speech or words, presentation,
discussion or conversation, etc. The sender expresses his/her thoughts by speaking words. In
verbal communication, there is an important role of body language and voice tone in how
communication is being perceived. The verbal communication ensures both message
transmission and its receipt simultaneously and also instant feedback from the receiver.  

From an organization’s point of view, oral communication happens through discussions,

presentations, meetings, etc. Elements like the sender’s tone and pitch of voice, word quality are
crucial to verbal communication. For effective verbal communication through presentations or
speeches, the speaker or sender of a message should speak loudly and clearly. Also, the content
should be conveyed properly. Unclear or unorganized ideas or messages can create
misunderstandings or confusion among the audience. The sender has to ensure the required
response from the receiver once a verbal message is transmitted.

Example: A very simple example of verbal communication is when two or more people chat
with each other using words. Question and answer sessions using words in classrooms or during
training in organizations is also a type of verbal communication.
2. Written Communication

The process of transmitting messages or information in the written form of words is known as
written communication. The medium of this communication in organizations are memos, reports,
letters, circulars, documents, emails, etc. It is considered as an effective communication tool of
business which is less flexible. This communication type is useful in case of complex and
lengthy messages or information that is a bit difficult to explain verbally. Documents that are
written are useful for future reference.

Effective written communication takes place when it includes above mentioned 7 C’s of
communication. The feedback in this type of communication is not instant as it requires time to
understand it.

Example: Sales reports can be considered as an illustration of written communication. These

reports consist of all necessary information and data related to sales figures, sales analysis, etc. as
per business verticals and locations. This can be complex and huge sales reports presented in
excel sheets or any other data software.

3. Non-Verbal Communication

Exchange of thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc. through non-verbal means is considered as Non-
verbal communication. The non-verbal means can be body movements or postures, eye contact,
facial expressions, gestures, touch and use of space, etc. All these are broadly categorized as
body-language.
Non-verbal communication is a speechless communication in which expressions are used to
communicate or express rather than words. There are different elements of non-verbal
communication i.e.

 Facial expressions:  It includes communication using different expressions of the face like
sadness, happiness, anger, fear, surprise, disgust, etc.
 Body movement and posture: This includes body movements and postures i.e. the way
people move, sit, walk, stand, etc. also it communicates a lot of information.
 Gestures: Communicating through gestures includes the use of hands in different ways i.e.
pointing out, waving, etc.
 Eye contact: Another non-verbal communication element is making eye-contact with
people. The way of looking someone shows communication of different aspects like
affection, attraction, interest, etc. To continue the conversation by maintaining the interest
and response of another person, also require eye contact features.
 Touch: We communicate through different ways by touch like warm handshake and hug, a
gentle pat on the back, etc.
 Space: Physical space is also a type of non-verbal communication to transmit different
messages like affection, dominance, aggression, etc.
Examples of non-verbal communication:
 While sitting in job interviews, our non-verbal communication plays a great impact on
interview selection. Crossing arms or not making eye contact by the candidate during the
interview communicates a message of disinterest or arrogant behavior to the interviewer.
 While giving a presentation to a group of people, maintaining eye contact with only a few or
just one person communicates poor presentation skills or less confidence in the presenter.
Apart from verbal, written, non-verbal communication, there are different other categories of
communication as well that include:
4. Electronic Communication When the transmission of a message between the sender and
receiver is through electronic or digital technologies, then it’s said to be electronic
communication. We can convey both verbal and written communication in electronic form.
Different mediums of verbal electronic communications can be phone, web conferencing, etc.
while e-mails, text messages are meant for written communication.
5. Visual Communication

We also communicate by visualizing things like through signboards, hoardings, banners, maps,
pictures, etc. Through these modes of visual communication, a recipient receives information.

Example: While planning for a tour one can get details about the tour place through maps like a
route to reach, hotels, shopping areas, etc. So the map is the medium by which one can get
information about the place. Similarly, different sign boards like signboards for different
restaurants, education centers, etc. give information about that particular place which is a form of
visual communication.
6. Formal Communication

Formal communication happens when information is exchanged at an organizational level i.e.

between employees and management, a superior and a subordinate or between same rank
colleagues, etc. In this time of communication, the flaw of information is balanced and
controlled by the organization hierarchy. Due to proper control, the information can be delivered
at the desired place without breaking the flow. Formal communication includes both verbal and
written communication.

Example: Formal meetings or presentations, formal e-mails in offices are a few examples of this
type of communication.
Formal communication is further categorized as Vertical and Horizontal communication.
8. Informal Communication

Informal communication takes place when transmission of a message between the sender and
receiver is without any formal communication medium or channel. This type of communication
is useful for the rapid distribution of information. Side effects of such communication can be in
the form of gossips or rumors.