Being a great communicator (verbal and written) will allow you to: 1. Express your ideas to many people 2. Market yourself and your business 3. Attract people to build an audience As I'm interviewing for new career opportunities, I'm realizing that having strong communication skills can determine your perceived seniority and value you can provide an employer based on how well you can articulate your unique and competitive advantages. What I'm doing to practice my communication skills are TWO weekly challenges: 1. Record and publish a mini-TED TALK to practice presenting speeches 2. Write and publish one blog post to share my POV and expertise on industry topics Why I believe this will help me improve my skills? Practicing hard will make it easy to perform on game day. Chop wood & carry water. When you fall in love with the process, your outcome is bound to happen. Don't chase it success. Enjoy the process and you'll become the person you want and need to be!

The best speakers I know have this one trait. They tell mesmerizing stories. The art is being able to tell great stories on the fly when answering questions. I walk you through a 4-part framework to help guide you and demonstrate with a personal story. Let me know what you think!

Let me tell you about a time several years ago when I interviewed a potential candidate for an open position on my team. He checked all of the boxes on paper. But he didn't pass "the vibe check." I didn't hit it off with him. I didn't come away thinking to myself, "Wow, I really liked him." But while some people can't pinpoint why they don't click with people, I've studied communication long enough to know what was missing. - He didn't smile.  - He didn't open up about himself. - He didn't ask open-ended questions.  And for a role that required someone to be personable with clients and partners, I knew this wouldn't work. The good thing is that this isn't something innate. Passing "the vibe check" with anyone you meet -- whether in an interview, networking event, or 1:1 with a colleague -- can easily be trained by following three simple practices. I broke it down in the video above and summarized it below. #1: Master the Duchenne Smile (0:00 - 1:46) The "Duchenne Smile" is a natural, enthusiastic facial expression that relies on engaging both the mouth and eye muscles. It's the difference between a half-hearted grin and a warm, inviting beam that instantly puts people at ease. To practice, place your index fingers at the corners of your closed lips and gently raise them into a smile, exposing your teeth slightly. You may feel goofy at first, but stick with it while speaking aloud. You're training the muscles to smile more naturally. When you smile authentically while conversing, your tone becomes more positive and engaging. It makes you instantly more likable and approachable. Why? Because your facial expressions are the remote control to the emotions behind your voice. #2: Ask Open-Ended Questions (1:47 - 3:19) Rather than keeping things surface level by discussing the weather or sharing basic facts, ask questions that allow the other person to open up about their true thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Use conversational prompts like: - "What brought you to Seattle?" - "What motivated you to join X company? - "How do you know X person?"

I break down four ways you can practice sounding more eloquent and articulate each day. Step 1: Practice speaking in legato, rather than staccato, where the words sound more connected to each other. Step 2: Practice speaking on the exhale to reduce your stuttering. Step 3: Practice the EIE breath -- a deep breathing exercise where you exhale first, then inhale, then exhale -- lasting 30-45 seconds Step 4: Play the Narration Game to practice your word retrieval. Watch the video for a more thorough overview and let me know what you think! 😀

Want to command respect in any conversation? It all comes down to one key skill: world-class listening. Start by truly listening to understand the other person, not just waiting to speak. I'll share with you three essential tips to up your listening game. First, when someone speaks to you, pause, nod, and really take in what they're saying before responding. The crucial step? Paraphrasing. Summarize their point in one sentence and confirm if you got it right. Keep asking "Is that right?" until you nail it. Once you do, you have the green light to respond thoughtfully. For the elite level, search for the intent behind their words. Ask open-ended questions to dig deep and understand their why. When you master these steps, you'll earn respect and truly connect with others. Give it a shot and share your experience!