In order to fine-tune your own approach toward "relationship awareness," Keers recommends a technique called "Other Person's Point Of View" (OPPOV). By asking yourself these five questions--three about your audience and two about you--you can recalibrate your message to better suit the audience:

1. What are they rewarded for? Are your listeners being paid to generate revenue, keep operations running or grow market share?

2. What are they motivated by? What are their professional/personal likes and dislikes? Are they after promotions, peer respect, greater job satisfaction?

3. What are they afraid of? Looking foolish, getting fired, being ignored by the executive board?

4. What am I doing to make things worse? Be honest now: How is IT having a negative impact on them? Are you using budget dollars in ways they don't understand?