In the 1999 hit sci-fi movie "The Matrix," Neo is told he will save the world from its horrible fate. Neo does not believe he is capable, but Morpheus believes he is "The One."

When the pair go to meet the Oracle, she tells Neo he is not The One. With his doubts confirmed, Neo leaves the meeting. As they head out together, Morpheus tells Neo that the Oracle simply told him what he needed to hear.

Shortly thereafter, still believing he is not The One, Neo accomplishes seemingly impossible acts, which then lead him to realize he actually is The One.

While most of us would bridle at the thought of telling staff they are not meant to accomplish greatness with the hope it inspires them to greatness, we can learn a few lessons from the Oracle on how to communicate to achieve the desired outcome.

Step 1: Be aware of your presence

The Oracle was a sweet old lady, surrounded by children in a comfortable apartment, baking cookies.

When preparing your message, consider how you look, your presumed role and your environment. They all have a role and add a layer of additional dialogue to your communication — ensure it is consistent with the message you want conveyed.

Step 2: Understand the audience

Neo was skeptical of the Oracle, was present out of obligation and was only going to hear what he wanted to hear.

Whether one person or an auditorium full, our audience comes to us with different perspectives, from different places and for different reasons. When drafting our message, we must consider the range of ways our message can be heard and ensure that our words can convey the same message in multiple ways.

Step 3: Set the stage

Morpheus believed in the Oracle and Neo; and Neo's teammates either were believers or wanted to be. He was surrounded by support whether he wanted it or not. When it came time for him to step up, he did so seamlessly.

When creating our communication, we must think not only of the moment when it is presented, but also about what happens after. Will our actions support our words? Does the environment support our message?

We must consider the workplace, culture and staff another layer of our message and ensure we set the stage so that what we want to happen is inevitable.

Step 4: Encourage individual ownership

In their conversation, the Oracle tells Neo not to worry about a vase that he subsequently knocks over. Without missing a beat, she acknowledges his presumed thoughts by wondering aloud whether he would have knocked the vase over if she had not said anything.

In an instant, this confirmed her presence, his needs and the situation they were facing. She did not try to change him, she acknowledged his viewpoint and allowed it to continue to exist within what had to happen.

As leaders, we often try to fit employees into a mold, but it is their individuality and diversity that breeds an organization's competitive advantage. In our communication, we must also provide the opportunity for staff to incorporate what we need into their own operating systems.

It is not "my way or the highway." We are all working toward the same thing, it is our job as leaders to clarify the destination and leverage the strength of our employees for the best ways to get there.

The bottom line is: To increase the likelihood your communication leads to the result you want, understand the variety of layers within the message, get them in sync and let the employees do the rest.