In all cases, effective communication depends more on the capacity of the communicator to speak the listener's language than any other factor. The words, the look, the color, the texture, the rhythm all have to be well within the listener's, viewer's, reader's comfort zone. Therefore, the first rule of effective communication is, "know your audience."

The second rule is, "know what you want your audience to do." In no uncertain terms, you must know what action you want the members of your audience to take, what change you want to cause in their lives, what attitudes you want to modify.

The third rule is, "consider the ramifications, in the broadest possible terms, of your message." I help my clients take full responsibility for their own roles as communicators as well as help ensure against any unintended negative results of their efforts to communicate (click HERE for some funny unintended communications).

The fourth and most important rule is, "retain integrity even if it means you lose." I am a firm believer in the proposition that every time a member of a society justifies an unsavory tactic in the name of winning, all members of society lose.