Explain The Five C's Of Communication

The Five C’s of a team, specifically Communication, is centered on the relay of critical information upward, downward and laterally to ensure team effectiveness. Communication is important because it helps individuals feel that they are a valued member of the team. Additionally, individuals are kept abreast of current events in the unit and feel that they have a say in what is to come. Proper application of this concept provides the knowledge and two way feedback necessary for subordinate development, ensures peers are self aware and continue to grow, and supervisors are knowledgeable to the goings on of those under them as well as their own effectiveness as leaders. Failure to apply this concept hinders mission effectiveness and causes
We communicate our intent and desires every day, but how effective we are at communication can impact how effective our entire unit is. In other words, failure to apply proper communication will detract from mission effectiveness. Communication ensures feedback is given to those who need it “early and often”. This is important in ensuring that individuals have the knowledge of self that they need to be successful. Communication is key to transparency, to show your troops that you are not hiding anything from them and that their best interests are being taken into consideration when decisions are made. When those under and around you are successful, you easily multiply our own
Many people fail to give honest and timely feedback, which detracts from mission accomplishment by failing to allow the individual to correct themselves. Often times it is difficult to be honest, but failure to do so may allow members to believe they are doing well when, in fact, they are failing to meet standards. Communication is not just necessary downward, but peer-to-peer communication is critically important. Sometimes you need someone with similar experience, working side by side with you to show you where you are straying from the optimal. Additionally, it is important to know what is going on in your unit from other shops so you know how to integrate into the unit efficiently and effectively. Supervisors require our feedback to allow them to know how their leadership objectives are being met, how effective their own communication is and to point out strong and weak points in their arguments to better arm them for future