Many managers assume that if they communicate clearly with their employees, their job is done. However, there are many reasons why employees may not hear or understand what their managers are saying the first time around. In fact, you may have heard that messages need to be repeated 6 to 7 times before they are cemented into the minds of employees. That is because each employee’s readiness to hear depends on many factors.

Effective communicators carefully consider three components: the audience, what is said, when it is said and how it is said. Communication therefore begins with careful communication planning and analysis of the audience, the key message and the timing.