The section "When Does the Three O'Clock Parade Start?" (I'd quote the whole thing here but it's too long) is a great articulation of the kinds of problems I'm

The section "When Does the Three O'Clock Parade Start?" (I'd quote the whole thing here but it's too long) is a great articulation of the kinds of problems I'm referring to when I tell people that I'm frustrated with the communications skills of people I work with. Understanding tone, context and audience, both as a deliverer and receiver of information, is not just for providing customer service. It's amazingly useful for simply getting along with other human beings. I have no problem with people that misspell words or use poor grammar - what kills me is the people who autopilot through their interactions with other people and who aren't bothered (or don't even notice!) when a conversation flies by them and they haven't developed or elicited even a flicker of common understanding.