How I Work

We work together to achieve results

I help teams develop the communication skills they need to be more successful — that is, accomplish what they set out to do — within their organization, with clients and potential clients, and in their industry or profession.

I am committed to helping you achieve the results you’re looking for, for example:

Your team will develop the language and ease to speak effectively about your work. Your clients will better understand and value the work you do. You will engage your potential clients in marketing conversations that effectively convey the benefits of working with you.

Your team will translate complicated material into the language that best suits the people with whom you are speaking. You will speak in terms that are meaningful to them. You will create context, present information, and tell stories, so that your messages are sticky. People will feel engaged with and connected to you.

Your team members will learn the skills to be excellent presenters, putting you far ahead of others in your field. You will learn how to prepare your content and how to deliver it, to make the impact you choose.

Your team members will be confident and skillful messengers, using PowerPoint as a tool that supports (not leads) you. Your team will know how to build relationships with your audience, so that listeners trust you and perceive you as the experts.

Your team will improve your internal communications and therefore your effectiveness and efficiency. Issues will be addressed in a timely manner, respectfully and directly. This will save money and time, and create a more cooperative, smoother-running environment.

Your team will develop the skills to communicate expectations and feedback that will inspire and develop individuals. You will communicate to enhance performance, increase workplace fulfillment, and contribute to the organization at a higher level.

I believe that. . . .

Different situations call for different communication skills. Going into all your conversations, meetings and presentations with a similar approach or a narrow range of possibilities will not get you the best results. And it is unlikely you will figure out the best, new approaches on your own.

People who communicate well are more successful. They have a wide array of communication options, and the flexibility to choose the one that will accomplish what they want in a particular situation. They can lead and listen, contribute greater value, market more effectively, and have greater impact.

Communication is the pathway to your goals. Communication is never the goal. It is the means, the vehicle, the method for reaching that goal. On the other hand, poor communication delays or prevents reaching your goal.

Exposure to and understanding of new communication skills don’t necessarily make a difference. You need the opportunity to experiment with them, integrate them, make them your own – and use them in your work life. Then they will serve you mightily.

My approach is. . . .

First and foremost, I work with teams to meet their particular needs. I focus on the communication skills that are going to accelerate your success. You already have some skills mastered, so I concentrate on the skills you need. You can begin using these skills immediately, among yourselves, and to better represent your organization in every conversation, meeting and presentation.

I provide learning opportunities that are practical and relevant. I work with you — introducing, experimenting, practicing — to integrate those skills into your work lives, making sure that they accomplish your goals.

I work with you as a team to accelerate your learning. This provides you the opportunity to learn from one another, reinforce one another, and create a culture that values and benefits from these skills.

How is my approach unique?

There are companies that provide standardized programs, that is, they teach everybody the same set of skills. That is not what I do.

My approach is uniquely focused on your particular team, the skills you already have, and the skills you need in order to be more successful. That means you’re not spending time, money, or energy on areas you have already mastered or that aren’t relevant to your team. We focus on what will have the greatest value for you at this time.

There are companies where you’re taught many skills in an intense period of time, then left on your own to incorporate what you can when you get back to your work life. That is not what I do.

My approach offers the material in smaller chunks, spaced over time, with a greater return on investment. I meet with your team for one to two hours every week or every couple weeks. This means you can integrate new skills, one at a time, into your work life. You make lasting changes in both mindset and behavior. This way the return on your investment of time, money, and energy is much greater.

My approach creates a safe environment that encourages learning and increases cooperation among team members. I take a compassionate, fun, yet direct approach with my clients, helping you to see the best in yourselves. This approach makes you more willing to be vulnerable and share with others on your team, and makes our work together more effective. It also fosters confidence in each of you as individual participants and supportive relationships among all of you as team members, both of which carry over into your ongoing work lives.