Everybody knows that communication is either effective or ineffective, and there is no middle ground.

Merriam-Webster defines “communication” in a handful of ways. Arguably, the most relevant ways are as follows:

1. A process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior

2. Information conveyed

3. (when used plurally as “communications”) personnel engaged in transmitting or exchanging information

Through time, I’ve learned that effective communication is super simple. I want to share with you the CATS of communication, which stands for:

Channel

Audience

Timing

Space

CHANNEL: Think of the channel in terms of the medium you pick. You would be surprised to see a presidential debate on a children’s programming television channel. You also would not expect to speak from a mission base on the ground to an airplane in flight using a radio that has a mere range of 100 feet. As communicators, we need to learn what channels best suit our tasks, materials, and time. Try different methods, and you will find your groove. Not everything has to be electronic, either! Easels and chalkboards work wonderfully!

AUDIENCE: Audience looks at “how will those listening to me perceive me?” Use words that your audience will understand. To whom are you speaking? Why are you addressing them? Would your audience respond best to demonstrations, lectures, videos, written instruction documents, a combination thereof, or something else? What is their experience level? You would take a group of people who have never left pavement hiking in a different manner than a group of people who have scaled Mount Everest. The key is to put yourself in their shoes and tailor your communication accordingly.

TIMING: In short, timing addresses the “when” behind delivering communications. This isn’t just submitting a report by 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday. This also examines when someone is ready to move from one step to the next.  Do you remember learning how to ride a bike? I assume most people learned how to do low-speed stops in driveways and cul-de-sacs before they learned how to do rock dodges and handle tire blowouts. Communicating messages of varying complexity, meaning, importance, and energy each requires adequate timing.

SPACE: Space considers where all the disparate parties are when they communicate, any nonverbal cues, and how they look. Some major aspects of space can include: Can the students and presenter clearly see and hear each other? Is the presenter adequately enhancing the presentation with gestures, props, drawings, and media? Does the presenter have a strong command of the classroom? Space also reflects the appropriate use of volume, breaks, and physical facilities.

This was written by our contributing writer, Joshua Nussbaum.