The royal road to a man’s heart is to talk to him about the things he treasures most.
—Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American Self-Help Author
Good communication does not mean that you have to speak in perfectly formed sentences and paragraphs. It isn’t about slickness. Simple and clear go a long way.
—John Kotter (b.1947) American Management Consultant
Examine what is said, not him who speaks.
—Arabic Proverb
Well done is better than well said.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
I hear the words, the thoughts, the feeling tones, the personal meaning, even the meaning that is below the conscious intent of the speaker. Sometimes too, in a message which superficially is not very important, I hear a deep human cry that lies buried and unknown far below the surface of the person. So I have learned to ask myself, can I hear the sounds and sense the shape of this other person’s inner world? Can I resonate to what he is saying so deeply that I sense the meanings he is afraid of, yet would like to communicate, as well as those he knows?
—Carl Rogers (1902–1987) American Psychologist
Words that do not match deeds are not important.
—Che Guevara (1928–67) Argentine-Cuban Revolutionary
Loneliness is never more cruel than when it is felt in close propinquity with someone who has ceased to communicate.
—Germaine Greer (b.1939) Australia Academic, Journalist, Scholar, Writer
Self-expression must pass into communication for its fulfillment.
—Pearl S. Buck (1892–1973) American Novelist, Human Rights Activist
Already we viewers, when not viewing, have begun to whisper to one another that the more we elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate.
—J. B. Priestley (1894–1984) English Novelist, Playwright, Critic
Do you want a sign that you’re asleep? Here it is: you’re suffering. Suffering is a sign that you’re out of touch with the truth. Suffering is given to you that you might open your eyes to the truth, that you might understand that there’s falsehood somewhere, just as physical pain is given to you so you will understand that there is disease or illness somewhere. Suffering occurs when you clash with reality. When your illusions clash with reality, when your falsehoods clash with truth, then you have suffering. Otherwise there is no suffering.
—Anthony de Mello (1931–87) Indian-born American Theologian
Good, the more communicated, more abundant grows.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
To listen well is as powerful a means of communication and influence as to talk well.
—John Marshall (1755–1835) American Judge, Lawyer
The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them.
—Stephen King (b.1947) American Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Screenwriter, Columnist, Film Director
Pure truth cannot be assimilated by the crowd; it must be communicated by contagion.
—Henri Frederic Amiel (1821–81) Swiss Moral Philosopher, Poet, Critic
If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.
—Michael Jordan (b.1963) American Sportsperson, Businessperson
A good conversationalist is not one who remembers what was said, but says what someone wants to remember.
—John Mason Brown (1900–69) American Columnist, Journalist, Author
Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can’t, and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
The language of the body is the key that can unlock the soul.
—Constantin Stanislavski (1863–1938) Russian Actor, Theater Personality
Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel. It is to bring another out of his bad sense into your good sense.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
I detest that man, who hides one thing in the depths of his heart, and speaks forth another.
—Homer (751–651 BCE) Ancient Greek Poet
The problem with communication is the illusion that it has been achieved.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
The worst thing about the miracle of modern communications is the Pavlovian pressure it places upon everyone to communicate whenever a bell rings.
—Russell Baker (1925–2019) American Journalist, Humorist, Television Host
It is only by expressing all that is inside that purer and purer streams come.
—Brenda Ueland (1891–1985) American Journalist, Editor, Writer, Teacher
When I am getting ready to reason with a man, I spend one-third of my time thinking about myself and what I am going to say and two-thirds about him and what he is going to say.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
The ability to express an idea is well nigh as important as the idea itself.
—Bernard M. Baruch (1870–1965) American Financier, Economic Consultant
The fantastic advances in the field of electronic communication constitute a greater danger to the privacy of the individual.
—Earl Warren (1891–1974) American Judge, Politician
One kind word can warm three winter months.
—Japanese Proverb
Communication is the real work of leadership.
—Nitin Nohria (b.1962) Indian-American Academic
Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language.
—Walt Disney (1901–66) American Entrepreneur
Talking and eloquence are not the same. — To speak and to speak well are two things. — A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks.
—Ben Jonson (1572–1637) English Dramatist, Poet, Actor
There can be no situation in life in which the conversation of my dear sister will not administer some comfort to me.
—Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689–1762) English Aristocrat, Poet, Novelist, Writer
We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the
blame and a little less than his share of the credit.
—John C. Maxwell (b.1947) American Christian Professional Speaker, Author, Clergyman
If we are strong, our strength will speak for itself. If we are weak, words will be of no help.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Talk is by far the most accessible of pleasures. It costs nothing in money, it is all profit, it completes our education, founds and fosters our friendships, and can be enjoyed at any age and in almost any state of health.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
The speed of communications is wondrous to behold. It is also true that speed can multiply the distribution of information that we know to be untrue.
—Edward R. Murrow (1908–65) American Journalist, Radio Personality
It is no use speaking in soft, gentle tones if everyone else is shouting.
—J. B. Priestley (1894–1984) English Novelist, Playwright, Critic
Communication is everyone’s panacea for everything.
—Tom Peters (b.1942) American Management Consultant, Author
Talk to people, not above them.
—John C. Maxwell (b.1947) American Christian Professional Speaker, Author, Clergyman
Know that a word suddenly shot from the tongue is like an arrow shot from the bow. Son, that arrow won’t turn back on its way; you must damn the torrent at its source.
—Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207–73) Persian Muslim Mystic
When you have nothing to say, say nothing; a weak defense strengthens your opponent, and silence is less injurious than a bad reply.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
everyone who is human has something to express. Try not expressing yourself for twenty-four hours and see what happens. You will nearly burst. You will want to write a long letter, or draw a picture, or sing, or make a dress or a garden.
—Brenda Ueland (1891–1985) American Journalist, Editor, Writer, Teacher
A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker.
—Zhuang Zhou (c.369–c.286 BCE) Chinese Taoist Philosopher
Communication is a skill that you can learn. It’s like riding a bicycle or typing. If you’re willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of very part of your life.
—Brian Tracy (b.1944) American Author, Motivational Speaker
Ordinary people who know nothing of phonetics or elocution have difficulties in understanding slow speech composed of perfect sounds, while they have no difficulty in comprehending an imperfect gabble if only the accent and rhythm are natural.
—Alexander Graham Bell (1847–1922) Scottish-born American Inventor, Engineer, Academic