The English language is filled with words that contain many shades of meaning. Of all the words we have at our disposal, no two mean precisely the same thing. There are similarities, of course, but there are also vast differences. Here's an example.

In describing how something smells, we can choose from, smell, fragrance, aroma, odor or stench. There are many more, but this selection is sufficient to make the point.

All of the words are about the sense of smell, but they convey vastly different messages -- if we recognize the words and know their definitions.

If an expensive perfume or after shave lotion were to be described as having "an unusual stench" sales probably wouldn't be very good. "An interesting fragrance" might be acceptable, but "an intriguing odor" wouldn't.

In business, in government, and in personal life words are our primary tools. We "sell" ideas, products and services through the words we choose. And we select the words that will have a specific impact on our audiences and customers.

As speakers, it's important to be aware of the impact specific words have on listeners and, as listeners, it's equally important to be aware of what a speaker is conveying -- really conveying.

The lesson when we sell products, services or ideas is summed up in this simple sentence, "Words mean things." Be careful and be aware of what sentences are saying -- and/or what message someone intends you to understand.

Language is so flexible that people with broad vocabularies can play word games and fool listeners into believing they have heard something that wasn't actually said.

The danger in such situations rests in the fact that listeners usually take a word at its face value. The listener thinks he or she knows what a word means. An example: We've all heard people make a statement in an interview or a speech, and then later, when confronted with contradictory information, excuse away the original comment by saying, "I misspoke."

What "misspoke" means in such situations is, "I didn't tell the truth" or "I exaggerated a bit." or simply, "I lied, and I got caught."

Selecting the word "misspoke" makes the lie seem insignificant. But it's still a lie, and audiences and customers remember.

Just imagine how a customer feels and would likely respond if a sales person were to quote one price for an item and then charge a higher price. "I misspoke" won't make everything right, and the impression remains.

Remember the poem in which Sir Walter Scott wrote, "Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive."

Some clever speakers and business people get away with deception -- for a while -- but then reality appears, and confidence disappears. So do the customers and the supporters.

In the long run, it's easier to tell the truth than to shade it, but that often takes strength. A little white lie might smooth the day, but it grows, becomes shaded, and relationships suffer. And that shading requires a very good memory to be able to recall what was said in different circumstances.

Here's where the clarity of the language can be helpful when the right word is selected. Usually, difficult decisions become a matter of simply selecting between two options. Yes/No. Stop/Go. Good/Bad. Up/Down. True/False. Legal/Illegal.

In any business or personal interaction, anyone avoiding such clear options is seen to be evasive, and evasive translates into untrustworthy or dishonest. On the other hand, if listeners interpret evasiveness as being unsure, their conclusion might be the speaker is unprepared or uninformed.

As with all other aspects of effective communication, the words are important, but so is the delivery. For example, how someone says, "No" can be interpreted as harsh or as reluctant. The packaging and delivery of any message are significant, but first the message itself must be clear.

Fancy wrapping never makes a tasteless gift anything other than tasteless.

So say what you mean; say it clearly, and with conviction.
