Who your audience is—and what they need to hear—might surprise you. The funny thing about communication is that even after you acknowledge that someone is always listening, you never know who "someone" might turn out to be. Or which of your messages will strike a chord with that person. It's easy for your communications to get lost in a sea of email. And you're constantly competing with a multitude of social media platforms and real-life conversations, so you never really know if something resonates. Until you do. Recently, and on several occasions, I was surprised to learn that my words had inspired a few folks and that I had a significant impact on their lives. While it pleased me immensely, these people were not who I would have thought were my audience, nor were the pieces they referenced what I necessarily considered my greatest work. It served as an important reminder: Words matter. Never underestimate the immense power of your words to connect with others. Someone is always listening and probably needs to hear your message, even if you (and they) might not realize it at the time. #communication #connection #leadership …see more