80/20 principle, 20
aberrate, 33
abet, 33
abide, 34
abide with, 34
abound, 34
absorb, 34
accede, 35
accelerate, 36
accentuate, 36
accept, 36
acclimate, 37
accommodate, 37
accomplish, 38
account (for), 39
accredit, 40
accrue, 40
acculturate, 41
accumulate, 41
acknowledge, 43
act, 43
activate, 44
actualize, 43
actuate, 44
adapt, 44
adduce, 45
adjust, 45
administer, 46
adopt, 45
advance, 46
advise, 47
advocate, 47
affect, 48
affirm, 49
agree, 50
aim, 50
alert, 50
align, 51
allay, 52
Allen, Woody, 9
alliteration, 28
allow, 53
ally, 53
alter, 54
amygdala, 4
analyze, 54
Angelou, Maya, 1
Annie Hall (film), 9
anticipate, 55
antithesis, 28
apply, 55
appraise, 56
appreciate, 57
approach, 57
approve, 57
arrange, 58
ascertain, 58
assert, 59
assess, 59
assign, 61
assimilate, 60
assist, 61
assume, 62
attack, 30
attain, 63
attempt, 64
attune, 64
authenticate, 64
authorize, 65
aver, 65
backstop, 65
balance, 65
ban, 66
band together, 66
bank on, 66
bargain, 66
bear down, 66
beautiful words, list of, 11
benchmark, 67
bolster, 67
boost, 68
bowl over, 68
brainstorm, 69
breakthrough, 69
bridge the gap, 70
budget, 70
build, 70
buoy up, 68
Burke, Edmund, 7
business managers, career coaches versus, 1
buying, investing versus, 10
cache, 71
calculate, 72
capitalize, 72
captain, 73
care, 73
career coaches, business managers versus, 1
carry through, 74
carve, 74
Casablanca (film), 8
celebrate, 74
challenge, 75
challenges, problems versus, 10
champion, 76
change, 76
characterize, 77
chart, 77
choose, 78
Cicero, 2
circumscribe, 78
clarify, 79
classify, 79
clichés, replacements for, 21
coach, 79
coalesce, 80
coexist, 31
cogitate, 81
cohere, 81
collaborate, 82
collect, 82
commit, 83
communicate, 84
communication
language. See also body language; words
competence versus performance in, 18
history of human development, 5-6
inconsistency of English rules, 17
learning process for, 6
pronunciation, 22
communication skills, success and, 19-22
competence in language, performance versus, 18
compile, 84
complement, 85
complete, 85
compose, 85
compute, 86
conceive, 87
conceptualize, 87
conclude, 87
condone, 88
conduct, 88
confront, 89
connect, 89
conserve, 90
consider, 90
consist, 91
consolidate, 91
consult, 92
contribute, 92
control, 92
convey, 93
cooperate, 93
coordinate, 93
cope, 94
counsel, 95
cover, 95
create, 95
cultivate, 96
daydreaming, 9
decide, 96
declare, 97
define, 98
delegate, 98
delineate, 99
deliver, 99
delve, 100
demand, 100
Deming, W. Edward, 3
demonstrate, 101
Demosthenes, 2
describe, 101
detail, 102
detect, 103
determine, 103
develop, 103
devise, 104
devote, 105
differentiate, 105
direct, 105
discern, 106
disclose, 106
discover, 107
distinguish, 107
distribute, 108
edit, 108
educate, 109
education in communication skills, lack of, 4-5
Ekman, Paul, 4
elevate, 109
elicit, 109
elucidate, 110
emanate, 111
embark, 111
embody, 111
embolden, 112
embrace, 112
empathize, 113
employ, 113
empower, 114
emulate, 114
enable, 115
encompass, 115
encourage, 116
endeavor, 116
endorse, 116
engage, 117
English language
inconsistency of rules, 17
pronunciation, 22
enhance, 118
enlighten, 119
enlist, 119
ensure, 120
entrust, 120
envisage, 120
envision, 121
establish, 121
estimate, 122
evaluate, 123
evoke, 123
evolve, 123
examine, 124
exceed, 125
excel, 125
exemplify, 125
exert, 126
exhibit, 126
exhort, 127
expand, 128
expect, 128
experience, 128
explain, 128
explore, 129
expose, 130
expound, 130
express, 130
externalize, 130
extol, 131
extrapolate, 131
face, 131
Facebook, 12
facilitate, 132
familiarize, 132
fashion, 132
fast track, 133
feedback, 133
fix, 133
focus, 134
follow, 134
follow through, 135
forge, 135
formulate, 136
foster, 137
Fripp, Patricia, 19
fulfill, 137
future perfect progressive tense, 25
future progressive tense, 24
G.I. Jane (film), 8
gain, 138
garner, 138
gather, 139
gauge, 139
generate, 139
Gere, Richard, 8
get, 140
give, 140
Google, 12
grammar, inconsistency of English language, 17
grasp, 141
grow, 141
guide, 141
handle, 142
harness, 142
head, 143
help, 143
highlight, 143
hire, 143
history of human development, 5-6
Hobbes, Thomas, 7
identify, 144
idioms, replacements for, 21
illustrate, 145
imagine, 145
imbibe, 145
imbue, 146
impact, 146
impart, 147
implement, 147
impress, 147
improve, 148
improvise, 149
impute, 149
inaugurate, 149
incentivize, 150
include, 150
incorporate, 150
increase, 151
indicate, 151
individualize, 152
induce, 152
influence, 153
inform, 153
infuse, 153
initiate, 154
innovate, 155
inquire, 155
inspect, 155
inspire, 155
inspirit, 156
instigate, 157
instill, 157
institute, 157
integrate, 157
interact, 158
interpret, 158
interview, 158
introduce, 159
intuit, 159
invest, 160
investigate, 160
investing, buying versus, 10
invigorate, 161
invite, 161
invoke, 162
involve, 162
jazz, 163
job hunt, 163
job search, 163
Johnson, Lyndon B., 9
join, 163
judge, 164
jump-start, 164
Keaton, Diane, 9
Kelly, Kevin, 5
Kennedy, John F., 8
key up, 164
kick the tires, 164
kindle, 165
Kipling, Rudyard, 2
language. See also body language; words
competence versus performance in, 18
history of human development, 5-6
inconsistency of English rules, 17
learning process for, 6
pronunciation, 22
verbal versus nonverbal cues, 8
laud, 165
launch, 166
lead, 166
learn, 167
lift, 167
lightning, 17
linking verbs, 15
listen, 167
Locke, John, 7
look to one’s laurels, 168
Luce, Clare Boothe, 8
lustrate, 168
maintain, 169
make, 169
manage, 170
maneuver, 170
marshal, 171
marvel, 171
master, 171
match, 171
maximize, 172
measure, 172
mediate, 172
meet, 172
meld, 173
mentor, 173
metaphors
defined, 29
replacements for, 21
mete, 174
methodize, 175
mobilize, 175
model, 175
modify, 175
mold, 176
monitor, 176
“Most Beautiful Words in the English Language,” 11
motivate, 176
navigate, 177
necessitate, 177
negotiate, 177
network, 177
networking skills, success and, 19-20
nominalization, 12
Noonan, Peggy, 8
nouns, converting to verbs, 12, 16-17
nurture, 178
observe, 178
obtain, 179
obviate, 179
offer, 179
operate, 179
opt in, 180
optimize, 180
orchestrate, 180
organize, 180
originate, 181
oversee, 181
Oxford English Dictionary, 20
parallelism, 29
Pareto’s law, 20
participate, 181
partner, 182
past perfect progressive tense, 24
past progressive tense, 23
perform, 182
performance in language, competence versus, 18
Perky effect, 9
persevere, 182
persist, 183
persuade, 183
physical effects of words, 7-11
pilot, 184
pioneer, 184
plan, 184
Plato, 7
Plutarch, 2
posit, 185
position, 185
postulate, 185
practice, 186
predict, 186
prepare, 187
present, 187
present perfect progressive tense, 24
present progressive tense, 23
presentations, guidelines for, 27
Pretty Woman (film), 8
problem solve, 187
problems, challenges versus, 10
process, 188
produce, 188
progressive tenses of verbs, 23-25
project, 189
promote, 189
pronunciation, 22
propose, 190
prove, 190
qualify, 191
quantify, 191
query, 191
raise, 191
rally, 192
reach back, 192
realign, 192
realize, 193
reason, 193
rebuild, 194
recognize, 194
recommend, 195
recruit, 195
redeploy, 196
refer, 196
reflect, 196
regard, 197
reinforce, 197
reinvent, 197
relay, 198
remind, 198
repetition, 29
represent, 198
require, 199
resolve, 199
respect, 199
respond, 199
reward, 200
Roberts, Julia, 8
Roosevelt, Franklin D., 8
rules of language, inconsistency of English, 17
Russell, Nan, 10
schedule, 200
screen, 200
see through, 201
seek out, 201
seize the day, 203
select, 201
sentences, subjects of, 13
serve, 202
share, 202
shift, 202
showcase, 203
similes, 29
Socrates, 7
solidify, 204
solve, 204
spoken language. See language
sponsor, 204
stand out, 204
stereotype, 205
streamline, 205
strengthen, 205
study, 206
subjects of sentences, 13
success
communication skills and, 19-22
summarize, 206
supervise, 206
support, 207
systematize, 207
tailor, 208
take (on) stock, 208
target, 208
task direct, 209
teach, 209
team build, 209
telecommute, 210
temper, 210
texting, 12
tired phrases, replacements for, 21
tolerate, 210
train, 211
training in communication skills, lack of, 4-5
transform, 211
transition, 212
transitive sentences, 10
translate, 212
tutor, 213
understand, 213
undertake, 214
unfetter, 215
unlock, 214
validate, 215
value, 215
verbed, 12
active versus passive voice, 12-14
converting nouns to, 12, 16-17
linking, 15
vet (positively), 215
vex, 216
vie, 216
vitalize, 216
volunteer, 217
What Technology Wants (Kelly), 5
words. See also language; verbs
beautiful words, list of, 11
converting nouns to verbs, 12, 16-17
Words that Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear (Luntz), 27
write, 217
zone in, 217
Zwann, Rolf, 10