It’s no secret that the communication landscape has changed drastically in the last few years.

Back in 2020, we all had to figure out our new normal when it came to communication – which mostly involved online platforms. Whether it was phone calls, video calls or emails – it became clear that our days of communicating with others in person were behind us for the foreseeable future. We had to adjust.

After all, there’s a different energy communicating over Zoom compared to face-to-face communication. I don’t know about you, everything felt different and disconnected.

Fast forward to 2023 and things are looking hopeful again. Social and business gatherings are becoming more of a reality and presentations can be held in-person. As a Communication Coach, I’ve found that there are a lot of differences when it comes to in-person communication vs. video communication, and there are also some similarities.

If we’ve learned anything over the last three years – it would be that it’s crucial ...

Have you ever made a decision that went against your intuition? If you have, you’re not alone.

Some people call intuition a gut feeling, other times it’s more complicated than that. I like to call my intuition my “inner knowing”.

Every time I’ve acted in a way that conflicted with my intuition, it hasn’t worked out in my favour. With that said, I also don’t regret any choices I’ve made because I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. It’s hard to make a “wrong” decision if you recognize that every choice leads to a lesson, and I find a lot of comfort in that. Your intuition is there to guide you, and it shouldn’t be the only deciding factor (1).

Intuition is a powerful tool to hone not only within the decisions in your life – also in your communication. It can help you think quicker on your feet, be more authentic, cultivate more natural stage presence and so much more.

Before we dive into some ways to help you tap into your intuition, let’s talk more about how it ...

Are you someone who loves quizzes? You know, those famous Buzzfeed ones that tell you what kind of bread you would be based on questions about your personality? Or the old Cosmopolitan quizzes that reveal who your celebrity boyfriend or girlfriend would be?

Personally, I’m a big fan of quizzes like these. Even if most of them aren’t overly intellectual, they’re a lot of fun and have the potential to be quite revealing – even if you don’t take them too seriously.

Interactive Content Is the New Way

I’m not the only one who finds themselves drawn to these types of quizzes. Thousands and thousands of people engage in interactive content every single day. It was found that 96% of users who start Buzzfeed quizzes finish them, and there’s a quiz on their website called “What City Should You Actually Live In?” that’s been viewed over 22 million times (1).

Knowing statistics like these, it’s clear that people love quizzes and interactive content. They’re an amazing medium to keep people eng...

It’s no secret that confidence plays a big role in our lives and careers. I’ve learned that confidence is a life-long journey that we never really “arrive at”, and there are steps we can take to feel more confident day-to-day.

I’m a big believer that you don’t have to wait until the New Year to make changes or set new goals for yourself, you can do that anytime. 

With that said, I often find January to be a motivating time for me. I’m recharged after spending time with family and friends over the holidays and I’m ready to set and achieve my goals.

If that’s the same for you, you’re in the right place. In this blog, I’ll be sharing 10 ways to build confidence that will in turn motivate you to crush the goals you’ve set for yourself.

1. Take small steps out of your comfort zone

I saw this awesome image on Instagram the other day that used the analogy of walking up a set of stairs in comparison with reaching your goals over a long period of time. Each step you take up the stairs feel...

Have you ever thought about hiring a communication coach? Or wondered how a coach can help you? 

The truth is, nearly everyone can benefit from working with a communication coach. Whether you’re a professional public speaker or just getting started in your career, there are certain elements of speaking that can be improved exponentially with the right observations and strategic feedback.

In this post we’ll cover a bunch of frequently asked questions, like what a communication coach is and what we do, some of the benefits of a coaching relationship (either one on one or in a group setting), and what to know before your first communication coaching session.

Let’s dive in.

What Is a Communication Coach and What Do They Do?

In a nutshell, communication coaches work with people on their communication skills. Sounds obvious, right? Think: presentations, speeches, sales pitches, and even everyday conversations. No matter what type of important communication you have coming up, a communic...

Spontaneity is a powerful tool that I’ve used throughout my life and career (mostly without realizing it).

In general, I’ve always been a person that has said ‘yes’ to things. From starting multiple businesses (one of which was a cheesecake operation out of my home) to moving across the country for various jobs, to traveling Europe at age 18 – I’ve always been what someone would call a spontaneous person.

When I’ve told these stories of spontaneity to my friends or clients, their reactions were typically, ‘Wow, you did that?’ To which I responded, ‘Of course! Wouldn’t you?’

It wasn’t until I had these conversations with others that I realized not everyone is as quick to say ‘yes’ to things. Personally, I don’t believe there’s a right or wrong way to live your life since everyone’s feelings and circumstances are different. That said, I’ve noticed some major payoffs when it comes to spontaneity in my life, my business, and in my communication. 

The ability to be spontaneous has helpe...

Have you ever heard of the term “drive-by communication”?

In a nutshell, drive-by communication is communication that’s squeezed in between areas of our lives without focused attention. This type of communication is quick, lacks direction, and is ineffective. 

No matter what industry you work in, drive-by communication can be detrimental to your success as a communicator, a leader, or an effective team member. If practiced frequently, drive-by communication can lead to a sharp decline in results in your conversations, presentations, sales pitches, the list goes on.

It’s important to recognize when this type of communication occurs so that you can nip it in the bud. And the good news is that there’s a simple mindset shift you can implement immediately to quit the drive-by communicating and start seeing immediate results.

First, let’s begin with the issues in drive-by communication and how to recognize if you might be behind the wheel so-to-speak.

The Three Main Problems with Being ...

Wondering how to deliver a more effective presentation that gets results?

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably found that the outcomes of your presentations aren’t always exactly as you’d hoped.

What many people don’t realize is that they hold the power to deliver an effective presentation versus a not-so-effective one. And there are two distinct communication strategies that allow them to get consistent results.

Strategy #1: Evaluate the purpose of your presentation

We had a discussion with a client several years back about different types of presentations. This client made the distinction between persuasive and informational presentations, and a member of our team interjected with the opinion that the purpose of all presentations is to persuade. Our client brought up the important point that something like a “how-to presentation” isn’t intended to persuade, but to inform.

The types of presentations we give at Connect To The Core (and coach others on) are mostly in the per...

As a company that specializes in communication coaching, we have a big responsibility to give important feedback to people who are often in vulnerable positions (one of the things we do is presentation coaching after all). It’s always been our intention to give this feedback in a way that’s empowering while providing practical ways to improve.

We’ve been asked many times by our clients, how is it that you can give this feedback and keep the recipient feeling whole? How is it that you can have these tough and uncomfortable conversations and they end up thanking you?

So, here’s the deal – we follow a specific set of rules and if we don’t deviate from them, it ends up being a positive interaction. 

If you’re a team leader, manager, or head honcho, it’s guaranteed that you’ll be required to give some feedback to an employee at some point, and it might not be easy. If you follow these suggestions, it’ll go a lot smoother with better results.

Here are 7 quick, actionable items to remembe...

What do you think of when you hear the term “spring cleaning”?

If you’re like most people, your mind might instantly go to cleaning out your closet, organizing your pantry, or getting rid of items around your home that you no longer need.

And while we highly recommend all of those things (hey, who doesn’t love a good closet declutter!), spring cleaning can also be applied to many other areas in your life.

Given the fact that we’re a communications company, we thought it would be appropriate to provide you with some simple steps you can take to spring clean your communication. Because yes, even your communication can use a tidy-up from time to time.

Here are 5 ways to declutter your communication (in your business and personal life) right now.

1. Simplify your call to action in presentations and meetings

Did you know that the average person will only remember a maximum of three takeaways from a presentation? That means that if your Call To Action (CTA) isn’t super clear, concise, ...