"It's not what you say, it's what people hear" says renowned pollster and political moderator Dr. Frank Luntz.

In his book, Words that Work, Luntz offers some practical guidance on the use of effective language for leaders.

He describes 10 rules of successful communication:

1. Simplicity: Use small words
2. Brevity: Use short sentences
3. Credibility is as important as philosophy
4. Consistency matters
5. Novelty: Offer something new
6. Sound and texture matter
7. Speak aspirationally
8. Visualise
9. Ask a question
10. Provide context and explain relevance

Looking at this list, I'll bet you don't see anything new - or for that matter, particularly inspiring, in the list. It seems he's ignored a few of his own rules - at least #5 and #7.

That said, using his extensive corporate and political experience, Luntz does provide a series of thoughts, anecdotes and quotes that serve as useful reminders.

One of my favourites, that I think is particularly relevant for leaders, relates to the idea of communicating a vision. He suggests that the act of speaking is not a conquest, but a surrender - that, inevitably, distortion of an idea occurs just by communicating it to an audience. Identifying the type and degree of distortion -and then clarifying appropriately - can help to ensure that your intended message is actually received.

Luntz also quotes Peggy Noonan, a columnist for the Wall Street Journal and speechwriter for both George Bush Senior and Ronald Reagan. He replays a quote from her book Simply Speaking which suggests that "your style should never be taller than you are".

This is really an old idea packaged in a new, albeit humorous, way. It's about remembering that language is the tool to communicate with your audience - a means to an end. So it's important to focus on the message and not on creating the most beautiful language.

I could go on, but I fear that I have already ignored enough of Dr. Luntz' rules....

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