When you speak you should consider your tone. It's something your parents probably told you when you were younger and it is still true. Make sure that the meaning of your words and your tone are in sync.
Are you showing some hint of power, impatience, arrogance, sarcasm, indifference or cynicism when you speak? Do others notice this? If the answer is yes, if doesn't matter what you say. Let's look at an example. A business Manager is asking an IT Manager "When will the performance of our Sales Tools be in the agreed upon range again?". When asking the question the tone of the business Manager might suggest sarcasm and irritation. What do you think will then come out of this? I suspect the IT Manager will get defensive because he can sense the underlying feelings. The question and the tone were sending two different messages. When you speak you should not only think about what you say but also which tone you want to use.
