Whenever you write an email, proposal, or report, it is up to you — not the reader — to make sure your point is understood. Here are three ways to ensure your ideas aren’t misinterpreted

Before you buy into a new, shiny marketing tool or technique, first make sure it’s right for your company. Often your existing ideas, product lines, and channels have more value than you think.

When making a case for something, you’ll have an easier time convincing people that you’re right if you start by asking questions. This will give you the chance to understand their points of view and strengthen your own.

The experience of getting a new boss can be fraught with anxiety and risk. Uncertainties abound when someone new takes the reins — but you have a role to play in taming them.

Sometimes the hardest part about writing a memo, report, or proposal is getting the words on paper. The key is to write all of your thoughts down before you can overthink them.

It’s a well-established principle that people need slack time to work through their ideas. Companies like 3M and Google have given innovation “time off” to their scientists and engineers. But perhaps your company struggles to justify that level of slack, or you aren’t confident that your employees would use such time effectively.

You might think a good manager should always be accessible when in the office. But, if every spare minute is filled with people walking through your door eager for attention, you’ll never get anything done.

If you’re trying to convince people outside clear reporting lines to collaborate with you, you’ll need to use your powers of persuasion. This doesn’t involve manipulating your colleagues, but rather leading them to a shared solution.