Robin,
mine is not going to be an actual review or point-by-point comment, rather a more general reflection on the overall approach.
Becoming a communication agent involves first of all the ability to listen to others and observe what's going on around you. It's an ability one can develop and improve, although some do have a talent for it. The moment you want to establish a connection with someone and pass on a message, you need to know what they're more sensitive to, what's close to their heart and interests, what their needs are.
You don't need to be the finest psychologist, but you can certainly listen to their words and worries and enthusiastic fits and then decide how to approach sending out the message.
Finding the fit between what you have to say and what your "recipient" (will you allow me this cold word?) needs implies a process of listening, observation and adaptation to her language and situation, perspective and needs. One of the most popular design-geeks sayings goes "Give your users what they need, not what they say they want". You need to interpret what you gather from your environment so that you can find the "key" to other people's attention.
I see this process happening in any context. Culture clashes, bad moods, different priorities, motivation can all stand in the way of the most brilliant ideas.
That's when facilitation comes in, and it can take oh-so many forms: negotiation, training, education, evangelization, the proverbial elevator's pitch. Finding the right words, smiling at the right moment, pushing it hard, providing supporting evidence...
And eventually comes trust. Why should I listen to you if I don't trust you? How do you win trust in the (apparently) most impersonal of environments? How do you appeal to your recipients' experience so that they can identify themselves and go "Hei, that's true!"? I think this is what really differentiates a communication agent from a public relations office or a big media company.
Going back to your 12 how-tos, I'd suggest you slip "listen" and "observe" into 1.Learn or 2. Find (or Find out?). I leave it to you to find a comfy place for "facilitate" and "win trust".
Your faithful(l) Marian
