Clarity, Conciseness, and Consistency Are the Keys to Effective Communication

Communicating with clarity, conciseness, and consistency is essential to effectively communicating in the workplace. Taking the time to learn how to be an effective communicator and to avoid common communication errors helps individuals and organizations to be more effective and perform their best. After reviewing the communication process, this chapter discusses the main types of communication and explores the importance of clarity, conciseness, and consistency in effective communication. Communication can be verbal, nonverbal, or written. Clear communication requires an organized message and an avoidance of confusing information or information that could be misinterpreted. Conciseness in communication can be conceptualized as a situation where the substance of the message is maximized, while, simultaneously, the time needed to communicate this message is minimized. The key principles of message consistency involve ensuring that the core of the message remains the same and that there are no contradictions across messages.