It's all about understanding: for this communicator, getting the message across clearly and succinctly is the name of the game.

In this issue we hear from Andrew Taylor, head of international and internal communication at Audencia Nantes School of Management in Nantes, France.

What historical figure do you most identify with?

Mahatma Gandhi. Not because I see myself as some kind of great leader, but because his nonviolent approach seems to sum up a certain communication philosophy. Belligerence and aggression will rarely succeed, whereas patient determination and sticking to principles can.

Which word or phrase do you think is overused right now?

Responsibility, which is now so much a part of business vocabulary that in word association it would get hitched to the word corporate nine times out of 10. It's easy enough to say, but harder to be committed to and to make work.

How would you explain your profession to a child?

I help people talk to each other. A lot of problems can be solved if people are able to talk to each other in the right way. My job is to make sure that the right people talk to each other when they need to, and that after they have talked, things are better for both of them. Communication is all about understanding.

What did you have to learn the hard way?

To check and double-check the spellings of names. When you are a junior editor who manages to run a story featuring "Lucifer" rather than "Luther" Douglas, the lesson tends to stick. It was 20 years ago, but Mr. Douglas' ranting phone call after publication will not be forgotten.

What do you sing or hum when you're alone?

Something with drive and verve that gets a message across without preaching. My current favorites are "Beginning to See the Light," by The Velvet Underground (sample lyrics: "Some people work very hard, but still they never get it right"), and "You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover," by Bo Diddley.

What talent would you most like to have?

To be multilingual. I am bilingual in English and French, which just serves to frustrate me more, as I am fully aware of what I am missing by not speaking any other languages. Nothing can compete with communicating in the native tongue of a target public.

If you could choose another profession, what would it be?

Rhythm guitarist. In some ways this is the musical equivalent of a good communication professional--someone who stays in the background, holding things together and providing the platform needed so that others can express themselves. Then, when the sola cuts out, it is the rhythm guitarist who is still there keeping the band as a unit.

What movie character would you like to portray and why?

Sam Spade, as played by Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon. Aside from the obvious draw of a character who gets tough with the bad guys despite lacking muscle and height, always gets the woman, and rarely loses his cool, I envy his line of quick-fire answers. If only it were possible in real life to respond with such speed and confidence, without sometimes having to spend hours in front of a computer to come up with the right wording.

Is there a book that changed your perspective on life?

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. It showed me what can be conjured up with words, and in no small way put me on a career track to journalism, communication and years as a frustrated, unpublished novelist.

What's the reward for a job well done?

The respect and trust of others. Money comes into the equation, too, but a huge salary without the esteem of those around you is not worth much.

What is your personal motto?

"You're only young once, and when you're dead, you're gone." It is taken from a blues song, and rather than sending out a depressing message, it seems to be telling us to make the most of every day, as it will not come round twice.

what's your personality?

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