To communicate effectively

1) Content: have SOMETHING OF INTEREST to tell (at least to you)

Have a checklist:
2) A tale or plot: how will you tell this story
3) Know your length: how long will your story go
4) Channel: what to use to make the message more attractive (it should be interesting if you are up to this point)
5) Produce: build a text, presentation
6) Rehearse, try and improve
7) Summarize: Leave a short coherent message

8) PLEASE PLEASE STOP AT ANY POINT IF YOU LACK A MESSAGE, COURAGE OR CAPACITY TO WORK AT THIS TIME

And it works fairly well (I teach engineering)

Please see (if you have time):

• In class: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAKJSsyDELc
• With little children: http://vimeo.com/61617518
• Writing for publication: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEaB7-lVSJU