Effective communicators tend to share certain traits, writes Susan Tardanico, CEO of The Authentic Leadership Alliance. These traits include distilling complex thoughts into simple terms, using language that is distinctly their own and communicating face-to-face instead of hiding behind electronic channels. Also, effective communicators remember that communication is a two-way street, Tardanico writes. "It's easy to be so focused on getting your message out -- or persuading others -- that you don't tune in to what you see and hear."