On Communication

“Communication makes the ‘top three’ in many lists today. The most important ingredient in happy marriages. The most essential element in raising well-adjusted teens. The most vital skill in job-interviewing success. The greatest problem voiced by political parties in gaining support for their candidate.”
—From The Voice of Authority

“You can communicate easy answers—or truthful, more difficult answers. Your power as a leader often depends on your choice between the two.”
“Communication is the soul of management: analysis and solid decisions translated into clear messages that influence people to act and feel good about their performance.”
—From Communicate with Confidence

“Tell bad news promptly. Never underestimate the importance of the two-minute warning.”
—From The Voice of Authority

“Delay can turn crises into disasters. And if the delay doesn’t kill, maim, or destroy, at the very least, it infuriates people.”
—From The Voice of Authority

“Communication is a life-or-death matter. … Ask lawyers, engineers, system analysts, or secretaries which creates the most frustration and failure—the technical art of their job or dealing with people—and they’ll agree on the latter. Samson of biblical fame killed 10,000 Philistines with the jawbone of an ass. Similar destruction occurs on a daily basis with the same weapon.”
—From Communicate with Confidence

“Communication is the core of leadership: clear messages that inspire people to act.”
“We all think we’re clear communicators; otherwise, we wouldn’t say what we do.”
—From The Voice of Authority

“The problem is not the problem…The problem is the communication about the problem.”
—From The Voice of Authority

“We work, love, socialize, live in a climate where people don’t say what they mean—even with the best of intentions.”
—From The Voice of Authority