FOUR BASIC TRUTHS OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

1. Simplify Your Message. Communication is not just what you say. It’s also how you say it. Forget about impressing people with big words, or complex sentences. If you want to connect with people, keep it simple. Napoleon Bonaparte used to tell his secretaries, “Be clear, be clear, be clear.”

2. See The Person. Effective communicators focus on the people with whom they’re communicating. They know it is impossible to effectively communicate to an audience without knowing something about them.

3. Show The Truth. Credibility precedes great communication. There are two ways to convey credibility to your audience. First, believe in what you say. Second, live what you say. There is no greater credibility than conviction in action.

4. Seek a Response. As you communicate, never forget that the goal of all communication is action. Every time you speak to people, give them something to feel, something to remember, and something to do.

From "The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader" by John C. Maxwell