According the world-famous Harper Success-O-Meter, he's very successful (ticks lots of boxes), is well known and respected, is down to earth, and while he can identify a problem, he's all about solutions.

Love that in a person.

He's Australia's highest profile medic, has his own TV show on Channel Nine, has written a bunch of books, is an internationally renowned educator and speaker, has travelled to, and researched in, 103 countries, and his name is Dr. John Tickell.

While I have interviewed the great man on my radio show, we'd never shared a cuppa and it was fantastic to get him down to the Harperdome, and to spend some quality time with someone whom I respect as a teacher and motivator. He's also someone who absolutely walks the talk and doesn't pull any punches.

I'm sure we could run a joint workshop called: 'How to offend people and get them in shape at the same time.'

I always say to people "I can tell you what you want to hear, or I can tell you the truth."

The Doc is a bit the same; I don't think he's too worried about getting the odd nose out of joint, as long as he doesn't have to compromise what he knows to be the truth.

We spoke about a whole bunch of interesting stuff, learned a bit about each other, exchanged some books (I defininitely got the better deal) and then we parted company.

Last night I read his latest book, 'The Calorie Comparison Guide' and it is a fantastic resource. In the first few pages he lovingly and gently destroys most of the popular diets, explains his rationale clearly and effectively, and then proceeds to unpack his simple, yet enlightening message on nutrition. In a world full of technical, fluffy, mumbo-jumbo crap, he beautifully articulates what most can't.

Good work Doc.

I'm always intrigued by successful, clever, creatives.. and after chatting with him and reading his book, I tried to figure out what makes him the best in his field.

I could have come up with:

1. He's highly intelligent and knowledgable (he is, but so are plenty of others).

2. He's well managed and promoted (maybe, but that's not it).

3. He's a great goal setter and visionary (maybe, but nuh).

4. He's funny and entertaining (close).

Here's what I did come up with:

1. He is where he is largely, because he's an incredible communicator.

2. It's not about his knowledge, his qualifications or some razzle-dazzle publicity machine; he simply takes the time and effort to connect with people. Very effectively.

3. He reads people (individuals and crowds) beautifully.

4. He has a gift for making people laugh, smile and enjoy themselves, while simultaneously punching them in the head with some tough love.

5. He addresses complex (and simple) scientific principles in a language that anyone can understand.

6. He listens, asks relevant questions, maintains eye contact, remembers and uses people's names.

7. He is genuinely interested in people.

8. He's not a 'people-pleaser', not a politician and understands when to speak and when to listen.

Whether you're a high profile doctor, a brick-layer, a student or a manufacturer of widgets, if your goal is to create a 'better' reality, then work consciously at becoming a better communicator.

Here are my Top-Ten Communication Tips:

1. Genuinely listen to, and thoughtfully consider, what the other person is saying - as opposed to waiting for a gap in the conversation to impose your opinion.

2. Talk at people's level of understanding - don't try and intimidate or impress.

3. Watch. Communication is 93% non-verbal. Watching someone will often tell you more about them than listening will.

4. Ask open-ended questions; questions which can't be answered by 'yes' or 'no'.

5. Empathise. Do your best to put yourself in their shoes and see things through their eyes.

6. Make the conversation about them, not you. Leave your ego at the door.

7. Find something to (genuinely) compliment them about.

8. Read 'How to win friends and influence people', Dale Carnegie, 1936; a pioneer and a master communicator.

9. Remember and use names. I introduced the Doc to six people and as he left, he said goodbye to all of them and used their names. The net result? They all love him.

10. Don't over-talk. Great communicators don't necessarily talk the most. Sometimes the less we say (verbally), the greater the impact.