19 min read 19th Feb 2026
You know that moment when you’re halfway through a presentation and you can feel it slipping away? Most people think this happens because they’re “not good at communicating.” In reality, it’s usually because the message wasn’t built on the right foundations.
This is where the 7 Cs of communication step in.
In this guide, you’ll learn what the 7 Cs are, how to apply each one, the common mistakes they fix and a simple checklist you can use before any important conversation.
At Body Talk, we’ve used these principles to help teams at the University of Oxford, Expedia and the NBA transform the way they communicate. Now it’s your turn to put them into action.
Key Takeaways: Master The 7 Cs Of Communication
The 7 Cs of Communication aren’t just theory. They’re a practical framework for clear communication, stronger relationships and measurable results.
If you remember nothing else, remember this:
- Complete – Give people everything they need to understand and act.
- Concise – Remove the noise. Say what matters.
- Considerate – Make your audience the hero. Speak to their reality.
- Concrete – Be specific. Use evidence, examples and logic.
- Clear – Keep your message simple and check understanding.
- Courteous – Lead with respect, empathy and emotional intelligence.
- Correct – Deliver accurate, reliable information you can stand behind.
When you apply the 7 Cs of effective communication consistently, three things happen:
- Your message becomes easier to follow.
- Your audience becomes more engaged.
- Your impact becomes stronger and more consistent.
This is how strong communication skills are built. Not through talent. Through structure.
And when you combine the 7 Cs with powerful nonverbal communication, confident tone of voice and intentional delivery, you don’t just “get through” a presentation or meeting. You lead it.
At Body Talk, we see it every day. When individuals and teams apply these principles, conversations become clearer. Meetings become shorter. Presentations become more persuasive. Conflict becomes easier to resolve.
Clear communication isn’t about saying more.
It’s about saying what matters, in a way that lands.
What are the 7 Cs of Communication?
The 7 Cs of communication are: Complete, Concise, Considerate, Concrete, Clear, Courtesy and Correct. Each “C” represents a quality your communication should have.
The framework comes from Effective Public Relations by Scott M. Cutlip and Allen H. Center. Although it began in the PR world, it’s now widely used to improve presentations, team meetings, and everyday interactions.
Here’s what each “C” stands for, and how to apply them in real conversations.
The 7 Cs of Communication explained
How can you use each of the 7 Cs, both in the workplace and your everyday life?
1. Complete
A complete message gives your audience everything they need to understand, engage and act – without leaving gaps that cause confusion later.
In a presentation, this means setting the scene, explaining your key points clearly and ending with a confident call to action. You guide the audience from start to finish, ensuring nothing essential is missed.
When your message is complete, people walk away thinking “I know exactly what to do next.”
2. Concise
Being concise means staying on track, avoiding repeating the same points, and giving your message space to land. It keeps attention high, respects people’s time and signals confidence in your ideas. When you’re concise, people listen longer and remember more.
Here’s how concise communication sounds in practice:
- Not concise:“So the project has kind of moved forward, but not exactly how we expected. I think there were a few delays – well, not delays exactly, but more like complications with suppliers, and we’re still trying to figure out how that impacts the timeline. I’ll need to check with the team before giving you anything concrete.”
- Concise:“We’ve hit a supplier delay that will push the project back. We’ve already adjusted the plan and will update you by Friday.”
3. Considerate
Considerate communication puts your audience at the centre of the conversation. It’s about seeing the world through their eyes – their goals, their challenges, their pressures – and shaping your message so it genuinely resonates.
A powerful way to do this is through business storytelling – especially the principle behind The Hero’s Journey by Jospeh Campbell.
This structure introduces the idea of the hero and mentor. The hero is the one facing the challenge, and the mentor is the guide who supports them and helps them succeed. In your communication, your audience should always be the hero. You are the mentor – the steady guide helping them move forward on their journey.
This shift changes the way your message lands with your audience. It stops being a download of information and becomes an experience that feels relevant, human and motivating.
Being considerate also means adapting the language you use. Avoid professional terminology or technical terms if you’re not certain your audience will understand them.
4. Concrete
Concrete communication is all about being specific, grounded and credible. It turns vague statements into messages people can clearly understand and trust.
A practical way to apply this is through Aristotle’s model of communication, which shows how to make your message more persuasive by weaving together ethos, pathos and logos.
- Ethos is your credibility. You apply it by showing why you’re worth listening to – sharing relevant experience, insights or results.
- Pathos is emotion. You apply it by speaking to what your audience cares about. Their challenges, their goals, their frustrations, their hopes.
- Logos is logic. You apply it by backing your message with facts, examples or clear reasoning. This is what makes your communication concrete, grounded in reality rather than assumption.
If you want to explore more frameworks like this, take a look at our in-depth guide: What Is Communication? It breaks down the core models that shape how messages are received, and how you can use them to elevate your impact.
5. Clear
Clarity means expressing your thoughts simply and checking that the other person genuinely understands what you mean.
Think about a time when you and someone else left a conversation with different interpretations. We’ve all experienced it. Now consider why that happened.
Misunderstandings can come from many places – a person’s own assumptions or past experiences, the way they interpret certain phrases, or even practical barriers like background noise or a poor internet connection.
This is why clarity matters. When you ask clear questions, summarise key points and confirm understanding, you close the space where confusion grows.
6. Courteous
Courtesy is about communicating with respect, empathy and professionalism. In conflict resolution especially, courtesy can change everything.
When emotions run high, your tone, posture and pacing matter just as much as your words. A calm voice, open body language and a willingness to acknowledge the other person’s perspective can immediately lower tension.
Courtesy signals that you’re not there to attack, but to understand and move forward.And when people feel respected, they’re far more likely to meet you halfway, even in difficult moments.
7. Correct
Correct communication is accurate and reliable. It means sharing information you can stand behind and delivering it in a way that’s appropriate for the situation.
Being correct also means avoiding avoidable errors that can distract or damage credibility. Even small mistakes – misquoting data, mixing up details, or using unclear language – can weaken your impact.
The role of nonverbal communication in the 7 Cs
Nonverbal communication can be thought of as the “8th C” because it has the power to reinforce or completely override every message you deliver.
When your nonverbal cues support your message, communication feels natural, confident and easy to follow. When they contradict your words, even slightly, your audience senses the disconnect. That’s why someone can say “I’m fine” while their body language tells a completely different story – and people believe the body, not the words.
As our founder, Richard Newman, explains:
“Every single one of us was born with the ability to speak without words. Body language is the primal foundation upon which our modern communication is founded. We can read an entire novel’s worth of non-verbal cues without ever hearing or seeing a word.”
Common communication mistakes (and how the 7 Cs fix them)
Even confident speakers fall into habits that weaken their impact. The 7 Cs help you spot these patterns and replace them with good communication skills:
Rambling
Rambling happens when you speak without structure or drift away from your main point. It’s easy to do under pressure, but it makes your message hard to follow. By leaning into concise and considerate communication, you cut away the noise and guide your listener through a message that feels focused and intentional.
Over-explaining
Over-explaining often comes from wanting to be helpful, yet it can overwhelm your audience and blur your message. When you apply conciseness alongside completeness, you give just the right amount of information. Enough to inform and empower, without drowning people in detail.
Misjudging tone
Sometimes the words are right but the tone lands wrong. Too sharp, too soft or too casual for the moment. This is where consideration and courtesy make the difference. When you tune into your audience and deliver your message with respect and emotional intelligence, your tone naturally aligns with what the situation needs. It helps people feel understood rather than spoken at.
The 7 Cs of Communication checklist
The 7 Cs give you a practical, repeatable checklist you can use before any important conversation, presentation or meeting.
Ask yourself:
- Complete: Have I included everything my audience needs to understand or act with confidence?
- Concise: Am I removing any unnecessary detail so my message stays focused and engaging?
- Considerate: Have I shaped this message around my audience’s perspective, priorities and challenges?
- Concrete: Have I used specific examples or evidence that make my message real and credible?
- Clear: Is my message easy to follow – both in my words and in my nonverbal cues?
- Courteous: Am I communicating with empathy, respect and professionalism, especially if the conversation is sensitive?
- Correct: Is the information accurate, reliable and appropriate for the situation?
Empower your people with communication skills training
At Body Talk, we’ve spent over two decades helping businesses transform the way they communicate through science-backed training.
Every session is tailored to your goals, your challenges and the real scenarios you face. You’ll practise live, receive expert coaching and leave with tools you can use immediately.
Change the way you communicate. Change the results you achieve.
Explore Body Talk’s communication skills training courses.
Frequently asked questions
We’ve answered the most common questions on the 7 C’s of Communication below.
Why are the 7 Cs important?
The 7 Cs are important because they give you a practical framework for effective communication. They ensure your key messages are clear, relevant and easy for your intended audience to understand.
Are the 7 Cs relevant today?
Yes, the 7 Cs are relevant today because they keep you focused on delivering concise and complete communication – sharing only the core points and relevant information your listener needs. Whether you’re presenting, leading a meeting or having a conversation in your personal life, the 7 Cs help you keep your audience engaged and your message easy to follow.
What makes an effective communicator?
An effective communicator delivers a clear message that people can understand, remember and act on. They don’t leave their audience guessing. Instead, they express their ideas in a way that feels direct, confident and easy to follow.
One of the most important tools they use is active voice. Active voice makes it obvious who is doing what – for example, “We’ll review the proposal tomorrow,” rather than “The proposal will be reviewed tomorrow.” It sounds more confident, it reduces ambiguity and it helps the listener grasp the point instantly.
Effective communicators also know how to adjust their tone. They match their energy, formality and pace to the needs of their audience, which makes the message more relevant and easier to engage with. That might mean using a more conversational tone to sound relatable and approachable in a presentation, and shifting to a more formal tone when speaking with a client.
Is coherence one of the 7 Cs?
Coherence is sometimes listed as one of the 7 Cs, and sometimes consideration is used instead. Whilst consideration was the one used in the original model, both are valuable.
The idea of a coherent message is communication that flows logically from start to finish, making it easier for your audience to follow your thinking. Strong communicators apply both coherence and consideration, structuring their message clearly while keeping the audience’s needs at the centre.
Can you apply the 7 Cs to written communication?
Yes, the 7 Cs work just as well in writing as they do in speaking. In written communication, they help you include the key details your reader needs, remove unnecessary words and shape a concrete message supported by facts or examples.
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