Combining communication with a relationship requires preparation. Mark Twain said, “It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.”

There are three questions you must answer to prepare for successful communication:

Who are you communicating with? If you don’t have a relationship, then communication is about building one. If you do have a relationship then communication is about building upon it.

“When the trust account is high, communication is easy, instant, and effective.” – Stephen Covey

Why are you communicating?  Never communicate without a purpose. Sharing, teaching, learning, entertaining – all good reasons to communicate. Each one comes with an expectation of an action being taken which builds upon the relationship.

“The two words information and communication are often used interchangeable, but they signify quite different things. Information is giving out; communication is getting through.” – Sydney J. Harris

How are you communicating?  Communicating in a relationship is a dialogue not a monologue. Success is not in the giving, but in the receiving. Put yourself in the seat of the audience (one person, or many people) and communicate in the way they need to hear so they understand.

“To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” – Tony Robbins