the art of communication

Communication is a very funny thing and it can make or break almost anything, be it a sales pitch, a job interview or a relationship. It's not just about what you say but also how you say it and most of the times it really doesn't matter what you infact implied but how the "other person" understood it. Think about this statement: I want you to atleast meet me once before you go. What do you get from this statement? when I wrote it I meant that of all the things that I expect you to do before you go, meeting me once is one of them. Now let's rephrase the statement a little bit by playing around with the placement of the word "atleast", here's the reordered statement: I want you to meet me before you go atleast once. Whoa! the entire meaning of the statement changes dramatically, now it's like I want to meet you atleast once (or more) before you go : atleast that's what I meant before I wrote those statements.
Given that talking over the phone is one of the most prevalent forms of communication, where all you are spoken words to put your point across, it gives even more chance for the other person to read between the lines and make a completely other judgment. Perhaps this hazard is not so much in chat, e-mail where you have time to think twice and mostly words don't have to be im-promptu and also not so much of an issue when you are talking face to face where the other person & even you have the luxury of reading each other's facial expression. I feel it's imperative that while talking we don't hold back our doubts and try to get them cleared up by asking upright honest questions if we feel there is any scope for misunderstanding...most of the talks fall out more due to misunderstandings than all other reasons combined together.
I still remember what my brother used to told me long time back: communication is not what you say, it's what the other person makes out of it.