Behind the Words

The Art of Effective Communication

"A man's character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation."

-Mark Twain

The simplest messages are often misconstrued in the most unpredictable ways. This is often caused by metamessages that confuse the listeners or shut them down. This lesson explores how distractive elements -- such as aggressive rhetoric and the tone of voice -- impact on our ability to communicate in a manner that ensures that the listener's takeaway is the same as our intended message.