Plato is quoted as saying: Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.
It’s no secret that effective communication can be the difference between growth & stagnation. A successful exchange of information can create new opportunities, whereas missed connections may as well be synonymous with “missed opportunities.”
Here are 48 more insights about communication:
- The art of communication is the language of leadership. – James Humes
- The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. – George Bernard Shaw
- The pen is the tongue of the mind. – Horace
- Metaphors have a way of holding the most truth in the least space. – Orson Scott Card
- Communication – the human connection – is the key to personal and career success. – Paul J. Meyer
- Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble. – Yehuda Berg
- The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said. – Peter Drucker
- Music is the greatest communication in the world. Even if people don’t understand the language that you’re singing in, they still know good music when they hear it. – Lou Rawls
- In my deepest, darkest moments, what really got me through was a prayer. Sometimes my prayer was ‘Help me.’ Sometimes a prayer was ‘Thank you.’ What I’ve discovered is that intimate connection and communication with my creator will always get me through because I know my support, my help, is just a prayer away. – Iyanla Vanzant
- I think for any relationship to be successful, there needs to be loving communication, appreciation, and understanding. – Miranda Kerr
- Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing. – Rollo May
- A man’s character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation. – Mark Twain
- Words are but pictures of our thoughts. – John Dryden
- Social media websites are no longer performing an envisaged function of creating a positive communication link among friends, family and professionals. It is a veritable battleground, where insults fly from the human quiver, damaging lives, destroying self-esteem and a person’s sense of self-worth. – Anthony Carmona
- We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak. – Epictetus
- Collaboration is a key part of the success of any organization, executed through a clearly defined vision and mission and based on transparency and constant communication. – Dinesh Paliwal
- 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
- Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. – Anton Chekhov
- Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships. – Stephen Covey
- Words, once they are printed, have a life of their own. – Carol Burnett
- The best way to solve problems and to fight against war is through dialogue. – Malala Yousafzai
- Science may never come up with a better office communication system than the coffee break. – Earl Wilson
- Take advantage of every opportunity to practice your communication skills so that when important occasions arise, you will have the gift, the style, the sharpness, the clarity, and the emotions to affect other people. – Jim Rohn
- It’s about communication. It’s about honesty. It’s about treating people in the organization as deserving to know the facts. You don’t try to give them half the story. You don’t try to hide the story. You treat them as – as true equals, and you communicate and you communicate and communicate. – Louis V. Gerstner, Jr.
- Honest communication is built on truth and integrity and upon respect of the one for the other. – Benjamin E. Mays
- Trust is the most important part of a relationship, closely followed by communication. I think that if you have those two things, everything else falls into place – your affection, your emotional connection. – Vanessa Lachey
- I think it’s very important to have a feedback loop, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’ve done and how you could be doing it better. I think that’s the single best piece of advice: constantly think about how you could be doing things better and questioning yourself. – Elon Musk
- First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak. – Epictetus
- Eloquence is a painting of the thoughts. – Blaise Pascal
- The art of writing is the art of discovering what you believe. – Gustave Flaubert
- As a leader, you must consistently drive effective communication. Meetings must be deliberate and intentional – your organizational rhythm should value purpose over habit and effectiveness over efficiency. – Chris Fussell
- There is only one rule for being a good talker – learn to listen. – Christopher Morley
- We’ve seen over time that countries that have the best economic growth are those that have good governance, and good governance comes from freedom of communication. It comes from ending corruption. It comes from a populace that can go online and say, ‘This politician is corrupt, this administrator, or this public official is corrupt.’ – Ramez Naam
- I have been in love, and it was a great feeling. It’s when you are attracted to and feel affection for someone. You want to do things for that person. But only love isn’t enough in a relationship – understanding and communication are very important aspects. – Yuvraj Singh
- Communication and communication strategy is not just part of the game – it is the game. – Oscar Munoz
- Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill. – Buddha
- The art of effective listening is essential to clear communication, and clear communication is necessary to management success. – James Cash Penney
- Words empty as the wind are best left unsaid. – Homer
- This report, by its very length, defends itself against the risk of being read. – Winston Churchill
- I think it’s fair to say that personal computers have become the most empowering tool we’ve ever created. They’re tools of communication, they’re tools of creativity, and they can be shaped by their user. – Bill Gates
- If you can’t convince them, confuse them. – Harry S Truman
- Talk low, talk slow and don’t say too much. – John Wayne
- The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. – Hans Hofmann
- The temple of art is built in words. – Josiah Gilbert Holland
- Good words are worth much, and cost little. – George Herbert
- To say nothing, especially when speaking, is half the art of diplomacy. – Will Durant
- Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard. – Anne Spencer
- Communication is at the very core of our society. That’s what makes us human. – Jan Koum