Here are my Top 8 Communication Skills of '08 to help you reach your highest performance:

1. Nail the big idea, pronto. You're living in an impatient, short attention span world. Capture and summarize the critical essence of your message quickly.   Make sure your big idea is crystal clear before diving into the nitty gritty details so you don't distract others with small details.

2. Aim for the heart, not the head. Spewing endless factoids leaves people cold.  And bored.  Get real with the power of emotional appeal and you'll motivate people to commit to action. Instead of trying to share everything you know in a single bound, light a fire under people by concentrating on their feelings first.  The heart trumps the head.

3. Capitalize on peer power. Why go it alone?  Our world is now ultra-connected and you should be, too, both online and in person.  You'll gain clout by bringing well-connected people into your corner.  Let other smart, respected pros transfer their clout to you.  They'll help you build influence and make things happen much faster than you could by flying solo.

4. There's no off-switch in the age of speed. Your words and actions now spread at the speed of light.  Every communication has the potential to elevate or sink you because every utterance, every writing can build you up or do damage.  There are no irrelevant interviews or presentations anymore. It all matters.

5. Positive wins, so radiate confident energy. Strive to inspire hope and instill pride.  Deep down, we want hope for a positive future.  Radiate likability and enthusiasm, even on difficult days when you're worn down.  Listen actively and convey positive interest and optimism.

6. Forget perfect. Be relatable. Stop worrying about being flawless and an amazing transformation will occur.  People will start relating to you and rooting for you to win.  Gone are the days when people bought in to the illusion of perfection.  Let it go.  People see right though the veneer.  They now value genuine, relatable human beings, warts and all. Think excellence instead of perfection.

7. Create shortcuts. Who has time for long-winded messages anymore?  Nobody.  We're all too slammed with work. Provide shortcuts and you'll be rewarded with quicker decisions and action.  Use shorter, punchier sentences. Graphics. Clips. Bullets. Pictures. Brevity is the new black.

8. Think the new PC: Performance Candor. Stop sugarcoating and holding back for fear that people won't like you.  Get important issues on the table tactfully and kindly, and admit the truth if it helps improve business performance.  Hiding bad news is terribly damaging to both your business and your well-being.