Do you read me?

Have you ever pondered over your communication skills?  I wonder all the time about mine and I forget the ratio, but isn't around 80% of all communication, non verbal?  My skills, by my own admission, well, they're severely lacking.  My skills were put to the test this week when I noticed a blind colleague had taken a wrong turn out of the lift and had ended up where she didn't want to be.  I jumped up, told her who I was, (we sat near each other for a few weeks in April,) then I asked her if she was supposed to be on my side of the office, which of course she wasn't, so I proceeded to take her by the arm and guide her back over to her side.  My skills were atrocious and I had to admit to my colleague, (although I suspect she'd already guessed by this point but was too polite to mention it,) that I was "rubbish at this."  Telling a blind person; "let's go this way..." or, "I think you might be over here in this direction," is absolutely no use, whatsoever.  Thankfully, L was very patient with me, (she must have thought I was an idiot,) and within a couple of minutes, I had her back at her desk... somehow... despite my shortcomings. 

The adventure that I subjected L to, made me think about how we communicate, specifically, how I communicate.  Are we crystal clear?  Am I guilty of saying one thing, thinking I'm being clear, when actually, the recipient hasn't a clue of the subtext?  Do I need to be more direct?  (This week, S told me I absolutely do need to be more direct.)  I don't want to be blunt to the point of impoliteness, but I need to stop thinking that I know what other people are thinking or how they'll react and I need to speak more freely rather than sugar coating everything.  I need to be clear.  After a lifetime of pussyfooting around, this is going to be a challenge... I like a challenge.