donalee Moulton - The Thong Principle: Saying What You Mean and Meaning What You Say

The Thong Principle

The Thong Principle

Saying What You Mean and Meaning What You Say

donalee Moulton

The Thong Principle: Saying What You Mean and Meaning What You Say

Copyright Business Expert Press, LLC, 2022.

Cover design by Rand Gaynor

Interior design by Exeter Premedia Services Private Ltd., Chennai, India

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other except for brief quotations, not to exceed 400 words, without the prior permission of the publisher.

First published in 2022 by

Business Expert Press, LLC

222 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017

www.businessexpertpress.com

ISBN-13: 978-1-63742-210-6 (paperback)

ISBN-13: 978-1-63742-211-3 (e-book)

Business Expert Press Corporate Communication Collection

First edition: 2022

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To my best friend, my mother Myrtle Moulton 19282020

Description

The Thong Principle has little to do with beachwear and everything to do with effective communication. Its about ensuring messages are successful for the senderand the receiver.

The book delves into the elements that comprise successful communicationsconciseness, clarity, concreteness, and much more. It also puts those elements into context. Communications that miss the mark confuse and annoy. They fail to deliver their message. They damage our credibility and erode goodwill.

The Thong Principle overflows with real-world examples to help us understand why we fail to get our messages across as intended.

Then it explains how we can anticipate, identify, and correct errors and oversights. This is both at the highest levelincluding building and maintaining trustand down in the weeds where even one word makes a difference.

The Thong Principle will draw you in and keep you reading with:

Examples

Exercises

Information that resonates.

Its also funny. Laughter and learning are wonderful partners.

Keywords

communications; written communications; presentations; plain language; conciseness; feedback; editing; tone; trust; goodwill; elevated language; readability; reading ease; readability score; readability formula; proofreading; clarity; revising; thong; spinach

Contents

In her new book, The Thong Principle: Saying What You Mean and Meaning What You Say, donalee Moulton delivers an informative, practical, and humorous guide to communicating effectively. Drawing on three decades of experience, donalee identifies common issues and proposes solutions, not the least of which is the need to demonstrate authenticity. While you want to look and sound good when you share information and insights, you also want to look and sound like yourself, writes donalee. It is this focus on authenticity, she argues, that is the very underpinning of getting across a message. Listeners and readers are looking to connect with a human being. If you dont sound like one, they cant connect with you. If they cant connect with you, they wont trust you.

Using your authentic self to build a relationship with an audience is exactly how donalee engages with hers. Anyone who has ever had an opportunity to attend a workshop or just sip coffee with this author will immediately recognize her wit, irreverent charm, and ability to get right to the point. Readers will appreciate donalees straight talk and the books theme: listeners and readers should not be tasked with deciphering messages. The responsibility to communicate clearly falls on the shoulders of the person or persons who have something they need and want to say. If you are one of those people, this book should be high on your reading list.Clare OConnor, Principal, Full Picture Public Affairs Inc.

Having this book in hand is almost as good as having donalee in person. The Plain Language training she provided for our staff got rave reviews and, most importantly, results. People learned skills they were able to immediately put into practice. It became clear during the workshops, as in this book, that she is an expert in her field. She really knows her stuff! A must read for anyone who wants to communicate clearly.Lynn Bruce, Marketing & Outreach Officer, Vermont Department for Children and Families

donalee has been my go-to authority on clear, concise and effective writing for over three decades. In this easy-to-read, practical and entertaining guide to saying what you mean and meaning what you say, she uses wit and wisdom to tackle the challenging and technical aspects of effective writing. This is a must-read for everyone from novice to professional on how to communicate with precision and impact.Cathy Jacob, Writer, Leadership Coach, Cofounder of Fire Inside Leadership Inc.

This book is irreverent, as the title suggests. But its steeped in respectrespect for clear communication and for your audience. If you cling to the notion that communication should be lofty and full of jargon or officialese, this book is your permission to let go. Its your safety net too, giving you the tools you need to start writing clearly and concisely.

Here, youll learn what plain language really means, and that it isnt just a good ideaits often the law! Youll learn how to start using it. Professional communicator donalee Moulton has packed this book with real-life examples. They show that clear messaging, thoughtfully crafted and carefully checked, can not only save you from embarrassment; it can also save money, and can even save lives.Sue MacLeod, Certified Professional Editor

Whats in a Name

In the case of this book, everything.

The Thong Principle is a way of communicating and a way of thinking. Its about, as the subtitle indicates, a way to communicate that works on all levels. A way of communicating that works for the person sending the message and the person or people receiving the message.

As participants whove taken my courses know, Ive been talking about the Thong Principle for decades. Its a way to remember what matters most when were trying to convey a message. Its a reminder that how we convey a message is as important as what we have to say.

The name came to me after spending several glorious days on a beach in Mexico (or it may have been the Dominican Republic). One thing is certain, the sand was white, the ocean aquamarine, and the skies ablaze with sun.

Under the rules of this particular resort, cabanas could only be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. A kind fellow who was part of our group got up every morning at five oclock (bless his heart) and staked out prime territory for us on the beach. The rest of us awoke to find our towels, chairs, and beach hut ready and waiting. Here we would spend the day until dinner called us in for the evening.

As you sit under a dried palm umbrella, icy marguerita within easy reach, and a best-selling mystery novel in hand, there is little to do but enjoy life, fill your lungs with gratitude, and look up every once in a while to soak in the atmosphere. As I looked up, and walked the beach, it occurred to me that many vacationers were wearing thongs. Yep, the swimsuit with a single string in the rear.

Admittedly, many of them looked good, very good. Of course, when you see enough people opting to wear an outfit with less material than my cats harness, it raises a very personal question: Should I wear a thong?