"Good morning. Can you help me?"

Amazing, when you think about it: the power words can hold. What's the difference in meaning between "You don't understand" and "I don't think I explained this very well"? Almost none. But you can almost hear a difference, can't you?

"Denotation" is simply a word's meaning. "Connotation," however, refers to our impressions of it. Consider, for instance, the word "feminist"--meaning one who believes a woman should enjoy the same social, political and, especially, economic rights as a man. Just about all of us are feminists, right? But, for a great many people, the word has entirely different connotations. So it is with the phrases above.

When you ask for help or cooperation, you're more likely to get it (at least, good naturedly) than when you inform employees, coworkers and others that they "have to" do something. Try it. You'll see.