For years, my friends Chris Smith and Sean Silverii have told me to read book by Andy Stanley. For years I agreed with them. Up until now, I have yet to do anything about it. When I attended Catalyst this year, I was so impressed with what he said, how he said and how he operated that to begin 2011, I wanted to pick his brain. My first such picking was Communicating for a Change (CFAC).

Seven Imperatives to Irresistible Communication

1. Determine Your Goal
2. Pick a Point
3. Create a Map
4. Internalize the Message
5. Engage Your Audience
6. Find Your Voice
7. Start All Over

CFAC is written a lot like a book from Patrick Lencioni. The first 1/3 of the book is a fable to open and connect audience to the concept as well as introduce the points. The following 2/3 of the book is the specific application of the points and opportunity for the you the reader to do so as well.

As I began reading CFAC, I was immediately met with what Andy knew would happen. Anytime a communicator is presented with an alternate form of communication, the first response is to say "I don't do it that way" and then to ignore the rest. Knowing that communication is a primary task of my job and a place of constant improvement, I kept on. Especially as he encouraged the reader to "Find Your Voice", I couldn't help but be encouraged with what he shared. It wasn't so much about modifying the style of each speaker (though that probably has happened). It was about rallying the speaker around the goal (in Andy's case: Life Change).

For those of you who communicate, I couldn't recommend this book more. Not so that you change the way you communicate, but so you can improve how you communicate. If you communicate regularly, pick it up.

One of my favorite quotes:

“Our approach to communicating should be shaped by our gal in communicating.” Andy Stanley, Communicating for a Change, pg. 93