COMMUNICATE WITH MASTERY: SPEAK WITH CONVICTION AND WRITE FOR IMPACT Communicating with Mastery provides readers with a rich treasure trove of frameworks and tools for leadership communication as developed and taught over the past decade at Stanford's Graduate School of Business.

The order is important. We must begin first in the shoes (or seats) of our audience. Once we know who we are addressing, we have to clarify our intent; what do we want them to do, think, or feel as a result of this communication? Only by clarifying Audience and Intent can we move on to Message.

“Intent” is both the intention in my mind as a speaker or writer, and the action in the minds of the audience. It’s not simply what I want the audience to think, say, or do, it’s what they chose to do as a result of the communication.

Whether we are designing and creating a web page, delivering a TED talk, proposing marriage to our spouse, or sending a tweet about an upcoming theater production, we need to be crystal clear on our intent before we open our mouths or hit send on our keyboards.