In a time where the world is all a-twitter about social media and the number of opportunities to connect with others is growing exponentially, it is more important than ever to communicate effectively. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking face-to-face, writing an ad, sending an email, posting on someone’s wall, making a video, or tweeting your status. If you really want to connect, you have to hear yourself as your audience hears you. It’s not enough to know your audience; for at least a moment or two, you have to BE your audience. How else will you

• know what language to speak?
• recognize the things that matter?
• be able to make yourself relevant?

A mentor of mine constantly reminds me that perception is reality. It isn’t what you say or mean, it’s what the other person hears that matters. In this case, the thought doesn’t count.

I think he’s right.