To be cognizant of one's communication - both verbal and nonverbal - is a reflection of one's emotional and intellectual intelligence. To be aware of how our communication affects others, and to make every effort to ensure that our communication is professional, tactful, erudite, savvy, and understood is not only etiquette at its best, it is truly an art.

How often do we witness nescient communicators so focused on their own thoughts and responses that they forget to listen to the person with whom they are speaking. How often do we see people interrupt, limp along with verbalized pauses ("um", "uh", "er") to the point of complete distraction, and disparage the English language with malapropism and grammatical errata.

Since we are all guilty of committing the occasional linguistic faux pas, it is first necessary that we accept the fact that "to err is human." However, once the error has been brought to our attention, it is the cognizant communicator's responsibility to strive for correctness - a value that is quickly disappearing from our society. Those who value correctness find pure delight in the grammatically perfect sentence, the well-placed semicolon, and the creative selection of a superior word. Ah, to languish in the perfect usage of language!

Verbal communication can quickly set one high above the crowd, or well below it. Pronunciation, enunciation, tone, inflection, diction, and vocabulary are skills and knowledge that must be both acquired and practiced. The experienced vocal coach can turn a high-pitched whine into a smooth melodic resonance that suddenly says "take me seriously."

Written and nonverbal communication are equally paramount to success in today's frenzied techno-world. In our quest for speed, we have seemingly displaced the need for correctness, etiquette, and sophistication. Certainly, brevity and clarity are important in most business communication. However, an e-mail that begins with "Dear Joe" and ends with "All the best" easily stands out as being special. A handwritten note on lovely stationery cannot possibly be outdone by an electronic message - especially those terribly trite e-greeting cards.

Taking the time to personalize your written words is, in itself, a compliment to the receiver. It says you care enough to acknowledge the other person and demonstrates a level of respect that we should all show one another every day, both in our personal and business relationships.

Debra Davenport, PhD, is a Master Professional Mentor and the president of DavenportFolio, a licensed firm with offices in Los Angeles and Phoenix that mentors entrepreneurs and professionals. She is the creator of the Certified Professional Mentor® designation and certification program and the author of The Ten Commitments of Highly Successful People. debra@davenportfolio.com or (866) 232-6492.