5 time NCAA champion Mike Krzyzewski - possibly the most famous college basketball coach ever has a quote I love:

“Communication does not always occur naturally, even among a tight-knit group of individuals. Communication must be taught and practiced in order to bring everyone together as one.”

With over 1,000 wins and over 100 future NBA players coached, Coach K knows his stuff.

​He’s a great examples of what a coach can help his athletes achieve. 

A communication coach is called a "coach" for a reason...
​
A coach is someone who directs training and habits to help someone become the best they can be. And you just heard it from the best - communication skills can be taught and improved!

So let’s take a look at what makes a good communication coach and how they can help you achieve your communication goals!

Are you tired of feeling awkward and tongue-tied in social situations?

Do you want to improve your conversation skills and become more confident when interacting with others?

If so, it may be time to consider hiring a conversation coach.

A conversation coach is a professional who specializes in helping people improve their social skills and become more effective communicators at work and in their personal life.

Whether you struggle with small talk at networking events or find it challenging to express your thoughts and ideas in a clear and concise manner, a conversation coach can provide the personalized guidance you need to overcome these sticking points.

​With a coach’s expertise and guidance, you can transform from feeling awkward to exuding confidence in any social setting.

If you're a software engineer looking to improve your communication skills, working with a specialized communication coach could be your secret weapon. 

In this post, we'll explore the advantages of enlisting the help of a communication coach specifically tailored to the needs of software engineers.

Let's dive in!

Do you ever get the feeling that you just aren’t connecting with people? 

Maybe you’ve noticed a certain coldness from new colleagues, or you’re struggling to build rapport while on a first date. 

Perhaps you’ve even seen someone cross their arms, tap their foot, or (gasp!) check their watch while you’re chatting. 

Let’s look at an incredible communication hack that you might have been missing: Mirroring.

Mirroring is a fantastic way to supercharge your communication, in many cases without saying a word.

If your goal is to improve your people skills, mirroring is a crucial skill that cannot be overstated.

Studies suggest that people who mirror others are seen as more likable and persuasive. 

And those people you mirror will often go out of their way to be more generous and helpful. (Don’t worry, we’ll cover the science on that in a bit.)

So mirroring is pretty freaking important!

And you may have noticed it out in the wild when...

• You notice that they take a drink after you do when out together after work
• You scratch your nose after they do when in a job interview that you really, really want
• You both lean your shoulder against a wall and seem to nod in unison while casually talking in the break room

When you get a glimpse of mirroring, it’s a good indicator that you’re in rapport with that other person.

In this article, we’ll dive deeper into what mirroring is, how you can mirror effectively, and what to avoid doing.

If you're a civil engineer looking to improve your communication skills, working with a specialized communication coach could be your secret weapon.

In this post, we'll explore the advantages of hiring a communication coach specifically tailored to the needs of civil engineers.

Let's dive in!

Are you a product manager looking to advance in your career? 

While technical skills may have gotten you where you are, social skills are what will get you to where you want to be.

​That's where a communication coach for product managers comes in. 

A coach can help you become a more effective communicator, whether it's speaking up in meetings, explaining complex concepts clearly, or simply making deeper connections with teammates. 

Here are some specific ways a coach can help you succeed:

Early in Kobe Bryant’s career, legendary coach Phil Jackson pulled him aside one day and encouraged him to spend more time with his teammates rather than in his hotel room studying game tape. 

By 2009, Kobe was a leader on the court and in the locker room.

The Lakers won a championship that season.

As a social skills coach, I love that lesson - that all of us (whether we like it or not) - connected to and influenced by others.

But let’s dig a little deeper...

What made Kobe great?
​

• Talent? Check.
• A mind for the game? Check.
• Going to the gym at 4 AM? Check.

All those things matter, but every other elite NBA player did those things too.

So what was Kobe’s secret weapon?

He realized that he didn’t have to do it all on his own.

He had his team and coaches there to support him.

No one is a 10/10 in ALL areas of life. - we all need help from our peers, our mentors, and our coaches.

If you're an accountant looking to advance your career, you know how important it is to have strong technical skills. 

But you might be realizing that technical skills can only take you so far.

The next step?

​Improving your communication skills. Communicating effectively can be a challenge for many people. That's where a communication coach for accountants comes in. 

Here are 5 ways a communication coach can help you succeed socially.

Let’s dive in!

It’s a situation that many of us have found ourselves in.

You just got some earth-shattering news: maybe a big deal went through at work, or you got into a heated argument with a friend.

And you just need some good old fashioned empathetic listening for a minute.

So you go to a friend and vent over a cup of coffee. But your friend isn’t really hearing you. They’re giving unwanted advice, talking about their issues, and just…not listening!

It’s frustrating!

You might feel angry, or shut down.

How did we get here? 

What’s the difference between listening and really hearing someone?

That secret ingredient is empathy. 

And today, we’re going to make sure you don’t accidentally fall into that “not hearing” trap! 

Are you an entrepreneur  or business owner who wants to accelerate your business or social life?

​Have you worked really hard growing the business, and let your social life atrophy?

Hiring a communication coach for entrepreneurs could be a game changer for you. 

In this post, we’ll take a look at 5 ways a communication coach for entrepreneurs can level up your communication skills and social life.

Let’s dig in!

​Questions are a great way to start a conversation at a barbecue, a Zoom networking event, or a party.

Questions can even help you move past small talk and into deeper topics. (Which studies suggest could make you happier!)

If you’ve ever struggled with thinking up questions to get to know someone better, this post is for you! 

After your conversational partner responds, keep the conversation going by making an observation about what they said.

Look through the list below and copy/paste 5 of your favorite questions into the notes app on your phone.

Then, you’ll be all set to break the ice at your next social event!

Bonus Pro-tip: Check out this massive list of 300+ conversation starters and topics or this huge list of 170+ icebreaker questions if you need help sparking conversations!

How to never run out of things to say...ah, this may be the holy grail of people skills...​

If you've ever had your mind spontaneously go blank in the middle of a conversation, then you know this feeling...

Searching your mind for something...anything to say.

​Yet, the harder you try to come up with something, the less you have to say.

Then the awkward silence creeps in...you might think to yourself:

"Why does my mind go blank all the time?!"

That overthinking vortex sucks.

​I'm here to help.

​Recently I've received messages from people who are struggling with their minds going blank...

I have great news for you:

• It isn't because you can't think fast enough to respond.
• It's not because you were "born awkward".
• It's something you can overcome with a little planning, practice and mindset shift.

After reading this article, you'll be able to make conversation with the best of 'em.

​Let's dive in...

“Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price we all have to pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.” – Vince Lombardi

Imagine that you group together the greatest baseball players of all time - Babe Ruth, Ken Griffey Jr., Willie Mays, and Mike Trout.

Now imagine that they all speak different languages and have no idea what the others are saying.

As an online communication coach my clients ask me to help with situations like this all the time.

You may be the Ken Griffey Jr. of software development , but if you can’t connect with the COO (the Mike Trout of soft skills), you’re not going to climb very far up the corporate ladder.

Communication and soft skills don’t come naturally to many of my clients.

​And while the reasons for that may vary, they all figured out the hard way that to advance, they’d have to study up and invest in their ability to communicate effectively with their bosses, their coworkers, and their clients. 

The good news is you don’t have to do it alone.

Using the guidance of an communication coach online can help you achieve the success you want to see in your career more quickly and effectively than trying to level up on your own.

Do you want to make more friends, build your network, and throw parties that make people say “I can’t WAIT for the next one!”? 

My guest Nick Gray is here to show you how to throw a party that people will LOVE! 

He’s sharing secrets straight from his book The 2-Hour Cocktail Party. In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How throwing a cocktail party will expand your network.
• How to get 90% attendance at your party.
• When/how to send out reminders.
• Why guest name tags are crucial.
• What days of the week to throw a party. (It's not what you think)
• Why you don’t need chairs at your party.
• How to gracefully end a party.

About Nick:
Nick Gray is an investor, entrepreneur, and author. He’s also a 40-year old American man living in Austin, Texas.

​Nick started and sold two successful companies: Flight Display Systemsand Museum Hack. Over 75,000 people have watched his TEDx talk about why he hates most museums.

He’s the author of The 2-Hour Cocktail Party, a step-by-step handbook that teaches you how to build big relationships by hosting small gatherings.

Nick’s links:

• Book: The 2-Hour Cocktail Party.
• Nick's "Friends Newsletter". (Highly recommended!)
  
• Article: How to Host a Happy Hour.
• Article: How to Plan a Networking Event.​​

I like the saying, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”

Not only is it catchy, but it relates to areas of life...ESPECIALLY to building social skills. (As an interpersonal communication coach, this is what I do all day every day!)

Right now starting conversations with others at a meetup or dinner party might make you want to run and hide in a corner and “check your email”. 

For many of my private coaching clients, this is a common feeling.

And it boils down to a lack of social competence that leads to a lack of social confidence.

But the good news is that interpersonal skills can be learned!

​And an interpersonal communication coach can help you get the results you want faster than trying to learn it on your own.

Oprah Winfrey, one of the most famous people in the world, has been very vocal about her early struggles with social interaction. 

When asked about the steps she took to build her social skills (and ultimately her empire) she replied with, “Once you start to make changes, no matter how small, suddenly everything seems possible.”

In this article, you’ll learn 7 ways that an interpersonal communication coach can help build that confidence and be prepared for a more successful social life. 

Let’s dive in!