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Build your Communication SuperSkills

Good at what you do, but struggling with your communication skills? Igotchu! 😎

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A double-header this week. As the Artemis II orbited the earth, the crew held a press conference, at the end of which the pilot, Victor Glover was asked for his thoughts from space on Easter Sunday. His first words in response were that he did not have anything prepared, which, if you've heard me talk about the importance of your speech opening, you will know is a terrible way to start. But then he delivered the most eloquent short speech about the beautiful oasis in the universe that is...

Sometimes you just have to get in people’s faces to get them to take action. Communicator of the Week Award goes to coach Brenda Frese, who was video in a now viral clip as she literally shouted in the face of an underperforming player on her basketball team. ’I need you to lock in’ she bellowed. ‘I believe in you.but you’ve got to want it the most’ if you watch it, it is uncomfortable, but the outcome was that the player went on to transform her performance and help the team close the gap...

You know the saying (often attributed to Warren Buffett): it takes years to build a reputation, and 5 minutes to ruin it. This week's MisCommunicator of the Week has proved that adage to be truer than ever. Prior to this week, not many members of the public knew much about John Healey. He was one of the more respected members of the Labour cabinet, quietly getting on with the difficult job of Defence Secretary. In an increasingly dangerous world full of wars, conflicts and terrorism, he...

Sometimes it’s just the effort that counts. Communicator of the Week Award goes to King Charles for his decision to insert a little pidgin English into his speech at the state dinner for President Tinubu of Nigeria. By all accounts, it was a pretty glitzy affair. (My invite must have been lost in the post). King Charles gave the expected flattery, praising the ‘economic powerhouse and cultural force’ that Nigeria represents. Highlighting Afrobeats, Nollywood, Jollof rice, and our football...

I’m being a little mischievous here but hey. Communicator of the Week Award goes to Swedish politician, Mikael Damberg for his description of Sweden as ‘Spursy’. For any non football followers reading this, Tottenham Hotspur’s, the football team commonly known as Spurs, are a large and famous football club that has over the years spent huge amount of money on a new stadium, new players and several mew managers. But despite all this spend and all that promise, they never really succeed. This...

Speaking publicly is hard enough without also having to deal with interruptions from your audience. Communicator of the Week Award goes to Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo, who retained their composure and delivering their lines in the face of what must have seemed to them like the heckle of all heckles. We’ve all learnt a thing or two about Tourette’s Syndrome this past week. Best explanation was given to me by my own ever-wise sister-in-law who explained it as a condition that makes you...

People won’t listen to you talk the talk if they haven’t seen you walk the walk. Communicator of the Week Award goes to golf star, Anthony Kim, who this week won his first tournament after coming back from a 12 year absence during which he battled drug and alcohol addiction. We often hear cliche messages from celebrities and sports stars. ‘Believe in your self’ ‘Keep grinding’ ‘Never underestimate your opponent’ Lovely words that get easily forgotten because they are often not backed up by...

Racism generally is not a good look. But it is a sad indictment of society today that it is only when that racism is indefensibly ugly and outrageous that it will not actually be defended. MisCommunicator of the Week Award goes to the Truth Social account of Donald Trump for the post depicting the Obamas as apes. You know things are bad when even Donald Trump deletes and disavows one of his own posts. And as much as there is so much that can and has been said about the despicable post, there...

Show don’t tell. As Albert Einstein reportedly observed: ‘if you cant explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough’. Communicator of the Week Award goes to Gordon McKee MP for his now viral and brilliantly simple explanation of the impact of the UK’s national debt. Here is the video itself to watch Most politicians are terrible communicators, so when an effective one comes along, it’s worth taking note. Gordon McKee has been building a steady following with short TikTok videos...

Always consider if someone before you has said it better! Communicator of the Week Award goes to my friend, Alex Ktorides for the moving eulogy he gave on the sad passing of his father. Eulogies are tough to get right. Should you go through the whole life of the departed one or just give snippets? Should you be funny or sombre or a mixture of both? Do you let your emotions show or button them up to get through it? And what theme can you use to tie it all together? Alex’s answer to the ‘what...